Magpale files "Anti-Tabloid Ordinance"

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Vice Governor Agnes Magpale seeks to prohibit the sale, distribution, possession, or exhibition of tabloids and such other similar printed and reading materials containing immoral or indecent pictures, acts/activities, or writings that are sexually-provocative within the Province of Cebu.

The Provicial Board is set to take up for first reading during their session today the proposed ordinance for the said purpose filed by Magpale, who co-chairs the Provincial Women’s Commission.

The proposed ordinance, once approved after thorough deliberation and public hearing, shall be known as “Anti-Tabloid Ordinance of 2011.”

The Cebu City Anti-Indecency Board earlier filed a criminal complaint against two Cebuano-language tabloids for running fiction stories that the board said used “obscene, indecent and sexually suggestive language.”

Magpale said the PWC had previously called the attention of Cebu’s two local tabloids, Banat News and Superbalita, when she was still a Provincial Board member.

In 2009, the PWC sent letters to the publishers to warn them about the tabloids’ “explicit” contents but Magpale said that the feedback was that they believed there was nothing wrong with the content.

In filing the proposed ordinance, Magpale said it is the policy of Province of Cebu to “promote, protect, and enhance public decency and morality within the Cebuano community.”

“In pursuit of such policy, any and all written or printed reading whose contents destroy or tend to destroy any sense of public decency and morals shall not be countenanced,” Magpale said.

The respective offices of the municipal or component city mayors in the Province of Cebu shall be charged with the full and strict implementation of the provisions of the ordinance.

A proposed penalty of not more than one year or a maximum fine of P5,000 shall be imposed to violators.

In case a compromise agreement is reached and that no criminal case is filed against the offenders, the compromise fine which in any way shall not be less than P3,000 but not more than P5,000.

The funds shall be used by concerned local government unit for the Gender and Development programs.

 In addition to the penalty, confiscation of the items shall be made in favor of the LGU where the offense is committed. — (FREEMAN)