Authorities are calling for stronger measures against online piracy, as most piracy-related activities in the Philippines have shifted online.
During the budget deliberations of the Optical Media Board (OMB), Senator Mark Villar highlighted the need to address the growing issue of online piracy.
Villar pointed out that traditional piracy raids have decreased as illegal activities have moved online.
However, the OMB’s jurisdiction is limited to physical piracy, leaving online piracy unchecked due to the lack of a legislative mandate to block sites hosting pirated content.
Currently, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), and internet service providers are implementing temporary measures to block sites with pirated material, but these efforts are not comprehensive.
Two Senate bills—Senate Bills 2150 and 2385—have been filed to amend the country’s Intellectual Property (IP) code, expanding its scope to include online content.
Villar expressed optimism that the passage of these bills would help address online piracy once enacted.
He previously chaired the Committee on Trade, Commerce, and Entrepreneurship, which led public hearings on these bills.
In 2022, the Philippines lost an estimated $700 million due to the piracy of Filipino-made TV shows and movies, according to the YouGov 2022 Piracy Landscape Survey.
The country is among the top consumers of pirated content in Asia. IPOPHL Director General Rowel Barba warned that revenue leakage could reach $1 billion by 2027 if online piracy remains unchecked.
Piracy currently accounts for 7.1 percent of the Philippines' gross domestic product, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.
This not only leads to lost revenue and livelihoods but also exposes users to malware and scams.
IPOPHL has long advocated for the amendment of the 27-year-old IP code to address modern piracy concerns and has expressed readiness to enforce stronger regulations once the laws are passed.
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