24-05-2025
Lala Sotto submits courtesy resignation as MTRCB chief
Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) Chair and CEO Diorella Maria "Lala" Sotto-Antonio has submitted her courtesy resignation amid the ongoing Cabinet revamp of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.
In a letter dated May 23, Sotto-Antonio said she is stepping down from her post following the President's call, and that her resignation would be effective upon his acceptance or as he deems appropriate.
"It has been a profound honor to serve in your administration and to lead the MTRCB in fulfilling its mandate of guiding and safeguarding the content consumed by the Filipino public," Sotto-Antonio said.
"I remain grateful for the opportunity to contribute to nation-building through this agency and for the trust you have placed in me during my tenure," she added.
Sotto-Antonio is the daughter of returning senator Tito Sotto, who won under the senatorial slate of the Marcos-backed Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas. The elder Sotto is reportedly vying for the Senate presidency in the 20th Congress.
A former Quezon City councilor with a career in showbiz, Sotto-Antonio was appointed to the MTRCB post in July 2022 just days after Marcos took office as president of the Republic.
Last Thursday, Malacañang announced that Marcos has called for the courtesy resignation of Cabinet secretaries, with the aim to "recalibrate" his administration.
Marcos said it was "time to realign government people's expectations" following the conclusion of Eleksyon 2025.
The request for courtesy resignations would give the President the elbow room "to evaluate the performance of each department and determine who will continue to serve in line with his administration's recalibrated priorities."
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin had announced that as of Friday afternoon, 52 officials had submitted their courtesy resignations.
The MTRCB is an agency under the Office of the President.
By virtue of Presidential Decree 1986, the MTRCB has the power to screen, review and examine motion pictures and television programs, including publicity materials such as advertisements, trailers and stills. It may also disapprove or delete portions of such content that are deemed objectionable for being immoral, indecent, unlawful, or injurious to the Republic of the Philippines and its people, among others. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
