List of films banned in the Philippines

The following is a list of films banned in the Philippines. This list includes films which were banned for public screening in the Philippines by law by virtue of being given an "X" rating or by being deemed "not fit for public exhibition" by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB).

List
Date Film Notes
1937 Batang Tulisan For the depiction of a priest in a villainous role and usage of a hypodermic syringe as a murder tool.[1]
1940 Chapayev For promoting Communist ideology.[1]
1965 Iginuhit Ng Tadhana Banned during the presidency of Diosdado Macapagal for featuring then-Senator Ferdinand Marcos, who was Macapagal's main political opponent.[2]
1977 Hubad Na Bayani the film was released during the Martial Law era in which depicted the human rights violations during the Marcos Regime. President Marcos banned the film from showing theatrically, which led to the establishment of a tradition of protesting naked, which became known as the Oblation Run.[2]
1988 The Last Temptation of Christ For its alleged anti-religion theme.[3]
1989 Dear Uncle Sam For its critical stance towards American military presence in the Philippines. The Americans at that time maintained bases in Clark and Subic.[3]
1989 Orapronobis For its progressive and subversive message regarding the oppressive new government following the 1986 EDSA Revolution. [3] [2]
1993 Schindler's List Initially banned for scenes involving humping and nudity involving the film's lead actors which was viewed as "pornographic" by the MTRCB.[3] The ban was overturned in 1994[4] with the film's historical merits cited as a reason.[3]
1993 The Piano The ban was reversed in 1994.[4]
1994 Natural Born Killers Banned due to extreme violence and gruesome images.[2]
1996 The Bridges of Madison County Given an "X" rating by the MTRCB due to a scene of partial nudity involving the character portrayed by lead actress Meryl Streep. The MTRCB has stated that it could reclassify the film as rated R if the offending scene was cut from the film for screening in the Philippines.[4]
2001 Live Show MTRCB's permission for the film to be screened was rescinded by then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. The film tackles the plight of poor boys and girls resorting to featuring in sex shows as a means of livelihood.[5]
2003 Imelda Banned, after Imelda Marcos, on whom the biopic is based, filed a lawsuit.[6]
2006 Ang Mabuhay Para sa Masa Produced, directed, and starring former President Joseph Estrada while he was detained for one of his many plunder cases. It was banned for challenging the rule of President Arroyo, who succeeded him after he was ousted in the second EDSA Revolution.[2]
2010 Ganito tayo ngayon, Paano na tayo bukas? Short film part of ABS-CBN's AmBisyon series. The film follows a newspaper; from the time of its delivery to a homeowner to the time it was used to wipe off feces from a foot of a cart-pushing vendor. The particular newspaper used a controversial January 2010 issue which featured the economic achievements of then-President Arroyo. The film was given an "X" rating by the MTRCB for "undermining the faith and confidence of the people in government."[7]
2010 Ayos Ka? Short film part of ABS-CBN's AmBisyon series. The short film is a music video which featured a hopeful soundtrack juxtaposed with imagery of poverty, illegal drug use, prostitution, and murder. The MTRCB gave the film an "X" rating "injurious to the prestige of the Republic of the Philippines and its people."[7]
2019 Abominable Banned due to the appearance of a map featuring the nine-dash line which depicts the South China Sea as part of China's territory in a scene. The Philippines claims Spratlys and Scarborough Shoal as its territory which is also claimed by China and other neighboring countries. See also: South China Sea dispute[8]

References
  1. Conti, Luigi (12 December 2014). "Censorship, History, and Philippine Cinema: The Ethics of MTRCB". Academia. Archived from the original on 1 June 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  2. Anri Ichimura (October 2, 2019). "15 Most Controversial and Banned Films in the Philippines That You Have to Watch". Esquire Magazine PH. Archived from the original on November 13, 2019. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  3. "MTRCB heads that said "Cut!"". PEP.ph. Philippine Entertainment Portal. 21 September 2007. Archived from the original on 1 June 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  4. de Ramos, Abe (29 August 1995). "Manila bans 'Bridges of Madison County'". United Press International, Inc. Archived from the original on 1 June 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  5. Freedom of Expression and the Media in the Philippines (PDF). Article19, Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility. December 2005. p. 44. ISBN 1902598806. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 December 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  6. Burr, Ty (6 August 2004). "A walk in the shoes of Imelda Marcos". Boston.com. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  7. "Short film critical of GMA rated X by MTRCB". ABS-CBN News. 26 March 2010. Archived from the original on 1 June 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  8. "MTRCB: 'Abominable' off Philippine theaters since Tuesday". The Philippine Star. 18 October 2019. Archived from the original on 22 November 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
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