Musician Jim Paredes has a suggestion to Filipinos after the music video for his EDSA Revolution song was flagged by a video-sharing platform as “inappropriate.”
A Twitter user on Thursday shared that he was cannot view the music video for the song “Handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo” unless he confirms his age.
The content was uploaded by Paredes in 2007 but it has recently been flagged by the video-sharing platform.
Clicking the link to the video will lead a viewer to either of the following warnings:
“This video may be inappropriate for some users. I understand and wish to proceed.”
“Sign in to confirm your age. This video may be inappropriate for some users.”
Some online Filipinos claimed that the music video can still be viewed without a warning last week.
“‘Yung ‘Handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo’ video is now deemed as inappropriate or offensive. This is a glimpse of the kind of history revisionism that will happen and is in fact, happening. Push back, kalapampagin ang Google at YouTube,” the Twitter user who shared YouTube’s action said.
The issue reached Paredes. He said that the music video was flagged due to a policy of the platform “two years ago.”
“YouTube 2 years ago made a rule that all video uploaders must express clearly if their videos have content not suitable for kids. The song ‘Handog’ was posted years ago, long before that ruling,” he said on Facebook.
“The warning must be referring to the part of the video that had Chino Roces et al being water hosed by the military. Someone must have reported it as ‘violent’ kaya nag bigay ng warning. I don’t know how to contest this. However, it was not taken down. If you want to see it, just press ‘Confirm,'” Paredes added.
The music video was directed by Mike de Leon, who is famous for his socio-political films “Batch ’81” and “Sister Stella L.”
The video-sharing platform responded to the Twitter user who reported the restrictions on the video to the “Team YouTube” account.
“Sometimes, content doesn’t violate our policies, but may not be appropriate for all audiences. In these cases, our review team will place an age restriction on the video. Here are some of the things we consider when making this decision,” it tweeted, adding a link directing to a page about “age-restricted content.”
“We’ll also look into this and update you as soon as we know more,” the account added.
Based on its guidelines, YouTube imposes age-restriction warnings on certain videos which bear some of the following themes:
- Child safety
- Harmful or dangerous activities, including regulated substances and drugs
- Nudity and sexually suggestive content
- Violent or graphic content
- Vulgar language
Users can appeal the restriction on their content through their accounts.
Commemoration of bloodless revolution
The “Handog ng Pilipinas sa Mundo” is a song written by Paredes, released two months after the bloodless People Power Revolution in EDSA that ousted late dictator Ferdinand Marcos after a two-decade rule.
The song featured prominent artists including Paredes’ musical group, APO Hiking Society, Gretchen Barretto, Kuh Ledesma, Leah Navarro, Celeste Legaspi, Coritha and Eric, Edru Abraham, Ivy Violan, Inang Laya, Joseph Olfindo, Lester Demetillo, Noel Trinidad, and Subas Herrero.
Kris Aquino, the youngest daughter of the president who succeeded Marcos and who was still a teenager at that time, also appeared in the music video.
The track is a benefit single for the rehabilitation of Radio Veritas, a radio station that was instrumental in the event.
It helped broadcast the plea of Catholic Church officials for people to gather at EDSA and protect a group of military officials who had defected from Marcos.
The radio’s transmitter building was later on attacked by soldiers who were still loyal to him.
Meanwhile, the lyrics of the song are inscribed on the wall of Our Lady of EDSA Shrine, the center of the historic revolution.
The song was revived by ABS-CBN stars in 2011 as a 25th-anniversary cover. It featured the voices of Gary Valenciano, Vina Morales, Martin Nievara, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Christian Bautista, Aiza Seguerra, Erik Santos, Piolo Pascual, Sam Milby, Juris Fernandez, Yeng Constantino, Jovit Baldivino, and Toni Gonzaga.
