The committees on public information and government
reorganization chaired by Bienvenido M. Abante, Jr. (6th District, Manila) and Erico Basilio A. Fabian (2nd District, Zamboanga City) respectively, have formed a technical working group to harmonize proposals to abolish the MTRCB and amend Presidential Decree 1986, which created it.

"Unfortunately, we're not satisfied by how the MTRCB is performing. They should have more stringent rules [on television shows and movies]," Abante said in a phone interview.

House Bill 2294, authored by Abante, seeks to rationalize the present system of the 30-member MTRCB board by creating in its place a 30-member committee to review and classify motion picture, television and cable television materials and retaining policy-making functions under a 10-member Commission.

"The MTRCB has not shown a determined, positive and sustained effort to exercise and uphold its powers and it is of public knowledge that programs which are considered immoral, indecent, contrary to law and/or good customs continued unabated to the detriment of the people," he said in a separate statement.

The lawmaker said that surveys have shown that the commission of many crimes "against chastity, persons and property are influenced by such kinds and quality of movies being produced, sold, distributed and exhibited, including television shows and programs being shown."

The Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (Association of Filipino Broadcasters, KBP) is backing HB 2294's provision exempting news and public affairs programs from the review and classification of the Commission.

The MTRCB for its part had proposed to maintain the present set-up wherein only straight news would be exempted, as provided under House Bill No. 3584, and that public affairs programs such as talk shows should not be exempted.