Calls vs online piracy regain traction

MANILA, Philippines — Stakeholders in the creative and intellectual property (IP) industry in the country are renewing their calls against piracy amid the celebration of the National Anti-Piracy and Consumer Welfare Month this October.

Led by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), the country's creative industry members are urging Filipinos to help artists and regulatory bodies crack down on pirated content to help protect the industry and the country's income.

"A strong IP system promotes job creation and economic development. Piracy takes away the revenue of legitimate businesses, which affects the economy negatively and the consumers' choices in the long run,” the IPOPHL said.

"Piracy undermines the hard work of the individuals who bring original, high-quality goods and services to consumers. By choosing legitimate, IP-protected products, [it] shows support and appreciation of their hard work," it added.

One aspect of piracy that creatives and several lawmakers also want to address is online piracy and the financial losses the industry suffered from it. 

The Philippines currently has no legislative mandate to block sites with pirated content. The IPOPHL, the National Telecommunications Commission, and internet service providers are only teaming up to put up stopgap measures to block sites with pirated content. 

Two separate bills, Senate Bills 2150 and 2385, are currently filed in the Senate to amend the IP code and remove its existing limitations to cover electronic and online content within the definition of pirated goods.

In 2022, the Philippines lost around $700 million due to the piracy of Filipino-made TV shows and movies, as the country has been named as one of the top consumers of pirated content in Asia, according to a YouGov 2022 Piracy Landscape Survey.

IPOPHL director general Rowel Barba estimates that the Philippines will have around $1 billion in revenue leakage in 2027 if concerns regarding online piracy continue.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, piracy takes away around 7.1 percent of the country's gross domestic product.

This results in forgone revenue for the country and loss of livelihood, and it even threatens to inflict malware on devices consuming pirated content, which can be a gateway for scams.

The IPOPHL also said that revising the 27-year-old IP code and mandating authorities to disable access to online sites infringing copyrighted materials will be much welcomed, noting that they have been advocating for its amendment and are ready to implement it once passed.