THE Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) on Thursday assured that it will intensify its Responsableng Panonood (RP) Program, especially among educators and families, in the wake of the school shooting incident in Zamboanga City earlier this week.
MTRCB Chairperson and CEO Lala Sotto said the RP Program teaches parents and children about responsible viewing habits, as well as the conscientious use of social media, online platforms, streaming services and other forms of digital content.
“We join the nation in mourning the loss of young lives in this heartbreaking incident. Our sincerest thoughts and prayers are with their families, classmates, teachers and the entire Ateneo de Zamboanga community,” Sotto said.
“We support President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s call for stronger measures to keep our children safe, online and offline. Through the MTRCB’s Responsableng Panonood Program, we aim to help them understand the content they see on television and on online platforms, so that they know how to protect their safety and wellbeing,” Sotto said.
Sotto, a strong advocate for children’s online safety, said the tragedy underscored the shared responsibility of families, schools, communities, government agencies and digital platforms in protecting the Filipino youth from harmful online content.
The RP Program will be brought to Naga City, Camarines Sur on August 24, where the MTRCB will engage parents, teachers, students, local officials and other community stakeholders in its responsible viewing and media literacy initiative.
The program advocates for active parental supervision and guidance, age-appropriate viewing, critical thinking, online safety, as well as the responsible creation and sharing of digital content.
For 2026, the Agency has conducted RP activities in eight different parts of the country for parents, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who left families behind, students, educators and local government units (LGUs).
Sotto said the RP Program encourages parents and guardians to be more familiar with the applications and platforms used by their children and regularly discuss their children’s online activities.
The program also reminds parents to set reasonable boundaries on screen time for their children and be on the lookout for changes in behavior that may indicate exposure to harmful or distressing content, she added.
“Responsible viewing does not end with checking age ratings or sitting beside our children as they watch TV or movies. More importantly, it includes knowing what our children watch, whom they interact with and what they create and share online,” Sotto said.
In addition, the MTRCB joined the call of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) for media outlets to exercise careful, responsible reporting on the Zamboanga City school shooting.
The Agency said it continues to proactively coordinate with schools, LGUs, parents’ organizations and other concerned stakeholders to bring the RP Program to more communities across the country.
“Protecting our children requires not just a whole-of-government approach, but a whole-of-community effort. Through Responsableng Panonood, we shall empower more Filipino families to become more critical, compassionate and responsible users of all forms of media,” Sotto added.