THE Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) has teamed up with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), major Philippine Internet Service Providers, and the Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) to block websites with pirated content.
In a statement during the virtual signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding recently with Singapore-based AVIA, IPOPHL Director General Rowel S. Barba said: “This MOU elevates IPOPHL’s holistic approach in fostering a society that respects Intellectual Property (IP) rights.
“Together, may IPOPHL and AVIA successfully stamp out the infringers and enable Filipino film and video producers, artists and contributors to wholly enjoy the rewards they deserve and to continue creating fresh original works for the benefit of society, culture and economy,” Barba said.
He added the partnership is part of IPOPHL’s intensified crackdown against online piracy.
AVIA CEO Louis Boswell said: “Site blocking is a responsible means of not allowing access to pirated sites… We have experience now in multiple markets all around the region that site blocking, where it is done properly, can be incredibly effective at reducing the levels of piracy in a market.”
Under the MUO, AVIA will assist IPOPHIL with useful information on piracy, organize and conduct training or seminars, on piracy matters, and provide recommendations on IPOPHL’s development of mechanisms on online piracy monitoring and rolling site blocking, as well as assist to ensure their successful implementation.
Barba also announced that a separate MOU with NTC and Philippine ISPs will establish clear-cut site blocking protocols to fight online piracy. Among the dominant ISPs that committed to the anti-piracy partnership are Globe Telecom, PLDT, Smart Communications, Converge, Sky Cable Corp, and DITO Telecommunity Corp.
According to a recent research of Media Partners Asia, the legitimate subscription industry is losing an estimated $120 million annually. The September 2020 YouGov survey identified the Philippine domestic film and television industry as having one of the highest piracy rates in Asia with 49% of Philippine respondents admitting to accessing piracy streaming sites.
