Section 12Sec./Art. 12

Grading of Films. - The grading of films by the Cinema Evaluation Board shall be subject to the following provisions:

(a) Pre-qualification procedures and requirements. - The Council shall prescribe pre-qualification procedures and requirements for application for grading: Provided, That only films whose premiere screening shall be held in the Philippines, and those which have not had any previous theatrical release, free television broadcast, cable broadcast or video release in any commercial medium anywhere in the world shall be qualified for grading by the Board: Provided, further, That the Board shall evaluate and grade only feature film that are intended for theatrical and other forms or exhibition that will charge admission fees and which are at least eighty (80) minutes in length and that the producer shall submit his/her film for grading at least seven (7) calendar days before its scheduled playdate.

(b) Evaluation Period. - A film shall be reviewed, evaluated and graded by the Board within five (5) working days after submission of the application. The Board shall transmit its decision to the Council twenty-four (24) hours from the rendering of the decision. The Council shall inform the producer of the Board's decision not later than twenty-four (24) hours upon receipt thereof.

(c) Grading of Films. - The Board shall review and grade a film submitted for grading. The Board and the Council shall, at any time neither be allowed to cut, delete, shorten or modify in any manner films being graded by the Board, nor shall they be allowed to suggest cuts or deletions or any other form of modification to the film makers and pre-requisites for earning the board grading. Such grading shall be given due weight and consideration by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), the Videogram Regulatory (VRB), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and other government agencies for the graded film's viewing, reproduction, exportation and other purposes.

(d) Reconsideration to the Board En Banc. - The action taken by the Board on the Film submitted for evaluation and grading may be reconsidered upon motion to the Board en banc within twenty (24) hours from receipt of notice of said action, and the Board en banc shall render its decision within forty-eight (48) hours from its receipt of the motion for reconsideration. The Board en banc must be composed of at least majority of the members of the Board.

(e) Finality of grading. - The grading submitted by the Board en banc to the Council shall be final.