Globe Telecom is backing amendments to the decades-old Intellectual Property Code to give the law more teeth after a new survey showed that 70 percent of Filipinos consume pirated content online, threatening the P1.6-trillion creative industry.
This was the second highest level of piracy consumption in the Asia Pacific, with the Philippines next only to Vietnam's 71 percent, said Globe, citing the latest YouGov consumer survey on piracy, commissioned by the Asia Video Industry Association’s (AVIA) Coalition Against Piracy (CAP).
Globe added that the consumption of pirated content was up from 58 percent in 2023.
“This worrying trend highlights the urgency of strengthening enforcement against piracy, which can be done through amending the Intellectual Property Code to enable site blocking,” Yoly Crisanto, Globe’s chief sustainability and corporate communications officer, said in a statement over the weekend.
Risks ignored
Globe also noted that an overwhelming 92 percent of consumers continue to ignore risks, including malware and the harm this causes to local industries.
“As the incidence of piracy continues to rise, Globe, a staunch advocate of intellectual property protection, underscored the need to boost efforts against piracy, particularly passing legislation to institutionalize site blocking,” Crisanto added.
17-year-old law
The Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, which was passed into law in 1997, governs the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights in the Philippines. Globe is a member of the AVIA-CAP and the Video Coalition of the Philippines.
It expressed strong support for Senate bills aimed at strengthening the Philippines’ Intellectual Property Code, the statement showed.
Blocking powers
“Site blocking is a critical tool in safeguarding the livelihood of content creators and protecting consumers from the risks associated with accessing pirated content,” Globe said.
The telco giant also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines and other internet providers to create Asia’s first site-blocking mechanism against pirate sites.
Miguel R. Camus has been a reporter covering various domestic business topics since 2009.
