Board of Censorship for Moving Pictures

November 27, 1929

ACT NO. 3582

AN ACT TO CREATE A BOARD OF CENSORSHIP FOR MOVING PICTURES AND DEFINE ITS FUNCTIONS

SECTION 1. There is hereby created a Philippine Board of Censorship for Moving Pictures which shall consist of fifteen members appointed by the Governor-General, with the advice and consent of the Philippine Senate, from among the officers of the Government or private citizens, who shall not receive any salary or compensation for the services rendered by them under this Act and who shall organize by electing a president and a secretary from among themselves.

SECTION 2. The Board appointed in accordance with the preceding section shall be under the control of the office of the Secretary of the Interior and its duties shall be as follows:

(a) To examine all films, spoken or silent, imported or produced in the Philippine Islands, and prohibit the introduction and exhibition in this country of films which in their judgment are immoral or contrary to law and good customs or injurious to the prestige of the Government or people of the Philippine Islands.

(b) Subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, to promulgate its own rules of procedure and operation in general, including the matters of quorum and of the organization of subcommittees for censoring films in the provinces, and keep a permanent record of all its proceedings with reference to the films examined by it, whether passed or not.

The decisions of the Board shall take effect immediately, unless an appeal shall be taken to the Secretary of the Interior, from whose decision an appeal shall lie to the Governor-General.

SECTION 3. It shall be unlawful for any person or entity to exhibit or cause to be exhibited in any moving picture theatre or public place any film not duly passed by the Philippine Board of Censorship for Moving Pictures, and to print or cause to be printed on any film prohibited in a moving picture theatre or public place a label showing the same to have been officially passed by said Board, knowing that such label has not been previously authorized by the same. CDESIA

SECTION 4. The violation of any of the provisions of section three of this Act shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than one year, or by a fine of not more than one thousand pesos, or both, in the discretion of the court.

SECTION 5. All acts or parts of acts inconsistent with the provisions hereof are hereby repealed.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on its approval.

Approved, November 27, 1929.