CEBU, Philippines - The national advocacy organization of internet café operators has initiated a “No to IP (intellectual property) seal” campaign to tell the Pilipinas Anti-Piracy Team (PAPT) that some issues with regard to the IP seal has to be ironed out.
“We are not against the anti-piracy campaign of the government. The movement is against the imposition of the minimum P5, 000-charge by the IP coalition on the IP seal,” said I-Café Pilipinas chairperson Ed Zafra.
The PAPT, composed of the National Bureau of Investigation, the Optical Media Board and the Philippine National Police, has given businesses in Cebu until June 28 to comply with the Intellectual Property (IP) Code of the Philippines or Republic Act 8293. Violators of the law will face penalties including imprisonment of up to nine years and penalty of up to p1.5 million.
PAPT will spare business establishments bearing an IP seal from the hassle of the inspection. The IP seal is awarded by the coalition to businesses that observe compliance with the IP laws in their operations, including the use of licensed and legal software. PAPT maintains an agreement with the IPC.
The IPC launched the IP seal campaign in Cebu last May 6. The campaign is a multi-dimensional program to raise public awareness on IPR at the corporate, retail, Internet Café and consumer levels through heightened educational campaign. It is endorsed by the IP Office of the Philippines, the Department of Trade and Industry-Cebu Provincial Office and the PAPT.
I-Café’s Zafra said that in the “No to IP seal” movement webpage, internet café owners revealed that the IP seal or stickers are not for free. IPC is charging establishments that want to avail of the IP sticker with P5,000; P10,000 and P20,000 for small, medium and big business, respectively.
He said the IP sticker can be a venue for corruption.
The IPC is a group of industry organizations that advocates for the implementation of the IP code in the Philippines. The group believes that IP is a tool for national progress and development.
“We stand for the protection of the exclusive rights of scientists, inventors, artists and other gifted citizens to their intellectual property and creations as provided by our laws and international conventions,” according to the IPC website.