[2] However, Cecille Guidote Alvarez, Philippine Presidential Adviser on Culture and the Arts, said Malacañang will not interfere in controversy about the film and leaves the decision to the Movie and Television Classification Board's (MTRCB) rating.
[3] Eventually, MTRCB decided to give The Da Vinci Code an R-18 rating (restricted to those under 18 years of age) despite PAAP's opposition for showing it.
"[5] Before the pastoral letter was written, Lipa Archdiocese Archbishop Ramon Arguelles, CBCP senior member, wrote Consoliza Laguardia, chairperson of the Movie and Television Classification Board (MTRCB), and requested her to prohibit the film's showing in the Philippines, where the majority are Christians, because of its "sacrilegious" and "blasphemous" nature.
He also added that "not since the time of the Presbyter Arius was there an attack on the divinity of Jesus Christ, which was as vicious and as momentarily profitable as this venture of Dan Brown and Sony Film Productions.
The SM Supermalls, the largest chain of shopping malls in the Philippines, prohibited the showing of The Da Vinci Code in all of their movie theaters throughout the country.
[11] Abante, who is also the president of the Metropolitan Baptist Church of the Philippines and called the movie as demonic and diabolical, filed House Bill 3269 that seeks to abolish the television and film board.