SM mall tenants required to get OMB license

A big shopping mall will soon require all its tenants engaged in the sale of computer and optical media products to secure a license from the Pilipinas Anti-Piracy Team (PAPT) and the Optical Media Board (OMB).

“All SM malls where there are stores selling computer and optical media products will be required license from PAPT and OMB to avoid contract termination,” OMB executive director Rosendo Meneses said yesterday.

Meneses said the failure of the tenants at more than 30 SM branches nationwide to comply with the mall management’s requirement will lead to termination of their lease contract.

He added that the SM malls’ cooperation is one of the tangible results of the anti-piracy campaign.

“This is a concrete cooperation from the private sector,” he said.

Internet access provider Netopia, according to Meneses, have also required all their branches to secure a license from the OMB.

The PAPT, a government-led initiative composed of the National Bureau of Immigration, OMB and the Philippine National Police, has conducted at least 12 successful raids on corporations, Internet cafes and stores using and selling pirated software.   – Pia Lee-Brago