7 Jul – It looks like the Philippines might join the ban alongside Vietnam, if Warner Bros.' "Barbie" includes the nine-dash-line map in the movie. Senator Francis Tolentino revealed to CNN Philippines that it is incumbent upon the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board of the Philippines (MTRCB) to do the same as Vietnam did if such a map is to be depicted, as it denigrates the country's sovereignty. This could be prevented, however, said Tolentino, if they edit out the scene. It is noted that doing so might anger China, which has already approved the release of the movie, and Hollywood is well aware that the market in China is known to be bigger than Southeast Asia.
Meanwhile, the Philippines' censorship board had only this to say for now: "We confirm that the Board has reviewed the film Barbie today, 04 July 2023. At this time, the assigned Committee on First Review is deliberating on the request of Warner Brothers F.E. Inc. for a Permit to Exhibit." The nine-dash-line has been a source of ire among many Southeast Asian countries, as China is claiming the territory despite an arbitral tribunal constituted under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) concluded that the claim has no lawful effect if it exceeds what it is entitled to under the UNCLOS. The ruling was rejected by China.