MANILA — The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) described the film “Maid in Malacañang” as a dramatization, not a documentary, in a statement released Thursday amid criticism for its portrayal of historical events.
The agency, headed by Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appointee Lala Sotto-Antonio, said it reviewed the film and gave it a Parental Guidance (PG) rating, which “means that a motion picture may contain themes that require parental supervision and guidance.”
“We also note that the said motion picture is a dramatization of the last 72 hours of the Marcos family in the Palace in 1986 and does not purport to be a documentary,” the MTRCB added.
The MTRCB’s statement came after San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza called on the agency to “act responsibly on this and perform its mandated duty,” as the prelate criticized what he branded as the film’s “shameless” attempt to distort history in favor of the Marcoses.
Alminaza was one of several personalities and groups who condemned the film, as a scene depicting the late president Corazon Aquino playing mahjong with nuns made the rounds on social media.
During the People Power Revolution which toppled the Marcos dictatorship, Aquino sought refuge at the Carmelite monastery in Cebu.
In its statement on Thursday, the MTRCB reiterated its PG classification for the film.
“While the PG rating serves to guide viewers, and was assigned by the Board based on its own judgment applying contemporary Filipino cultural values as standard, parents are encouraged to conduct their own assessment and use their best judgment to guide their children’s viewing activities,” it said.