Philippines' censor board rules in favor of Barbie release despite controversial map scene

Barbie has been cleared by the Phillippines censor board for release after careful scrutiny of the movie and they decided just to blur the controversial map scene in the movie. 

Vietnam has already announced its ban due to the same nine-dash line map issue. 

Barbie's controversial map scene shows U shaped nine-dash line that strengthens Chinese territorial claims deep into the South China Sea hurting the stance of other stakeholder states. 

The Chinese nine-dash line claims are opposed by Vietnam, Phillippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Brunie as they consider it a violation of their sovereignty and territorial integrity. 

Phillippines' Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTPCB) has decided that movie will be allowed to release in the country. In a letter made public on Wednesday, they stated, "After exhausting all possible resources and careful scrutiny along with consulting with legal experts and foreign affairs officiants, we are unable to find any basis for banning the film." 

MTPCB in a separate letter to a local senator has requested theatre executives to blur the scene showing a conflicted nine-dash line, preventing the audience from misinterpretation.   

While declaring the map as cartoonish, MTPCB concluded that the scene was intended to challenge or undermine the stance of other stakeholder states in the South China Sea. 

Barbie will be released on July 21.