The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), in partnership with Netflix, on Thursday, Oct. 2, hosted a seminar amid rising risks of inappropriate content consumption online and excessive screen time among young children.
MTRCB Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer Diorella Maria Gamboa Sotto-Antonio led the seminar, which was attended by over 100 parents, educators, child protection advocates, and industry leaders, and which aimed to empower families in guiding children toward safe and responsible media consumption while ensuring an enriching digital experience.
Sotto-Antonio reaffirmed the Board’s longstanding mandate to protect children, empower parents and promote responsible viewing through the seminar with the theme ‘Stream Smarter: Responsible Parenting in the Age of Digital Media.’
She underscored the importance of media literacy and parental involvement, noting that while technology provides tools, active guidance from families ultimately makes the difference.
‘We remain committed to promoting and strengthening media literacy, digital responsibility and parental empowerment, helping families make informed choices in the digital age,’ she said.
As part of its flagship Responsableng Panonood campaign, the MTRCB introduced PROTECT, a simple framework to help parents manage children’s media use. The acronym stands for:
P – Provide guidelines on age-appropriate content, starting media education at home;
R – Regulate screen time and set healthy limits to balance digital and recreational activities;
O – Observe co-viewing to create opportunities for discussion and critical thinking;
T – Teach media literacy to help children verify facts and think critically;
E – Educate on both the positive and harmful effects of media;
C – Create a family viewing plan that supports holistic development;
T – Take the lead by modeling responsible media habits.
Netflix Global Affairs Southeast Asia Director Ruben Hattari expressed support for the initiative, stressing the shared responsibility of parents, educators and industry leaders.
‘This initiative is a timely reminder that our role is not only to provide access to entertainment but also to ensure that families are equipped to make informed and responsible choices in today’s digital age,’ Hattari said.
He said Netflix has features that help parents manage what children watch through their service.
‘Learn it, share it to all your friends, and also discuss it with your kids as well. Please do not use these features as punishment tool, because they need to understand your reason and rationale,’ he added.
The event also featured a panel discussion titled ‘From Screen Time to Smart Time,’ with representatives from MTRCB, Netflix, Stairway Foundation, Safe Schools Philippines and the National Council for Children’s Television (NCCT).
The dialogue tackled parental controls, content classification and collaborative efforts to make digital media safer and more beneficial for Filipino families.
NCCT Chairperson Luis Gatmaitan advised parents and guardians to let their children watch general patronage-rated films, programs or online content.
‘I will also recommend films or TV series adapted from books, children books, because you know these materials have already been vetted so you are sure that contents are age-appropriate,’ he said.
Meanwhile, Stairway Foundation Child Protection specialist Ysrael Diloy told parents and guardians that they need not be tech-savvy to monitor and guide their children’s online activities.
‘You are a parent regardless of the technology platform, thus, what we teach children is not technology, it’s about the main skills, social intelligence in navigating this digital space, you just need to impart the same values that you want to create even if you’re not around them,’ he added.
Sotto-Antonio encouraged parents and guardians to remain at the forefront of responsible parenting -overseeing what their children, see, learn and absorb in every stage of their lives.
‘With collective effort from government, industry and families, we can ensure that digital media becomes not only a source of entertainment but also a tool for learning, creativity and positive growth,’ she said.