Officials expect to haul in P7B in pirated goods

The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) expects the value of seized counterfeit and pirated products to reach at least P7 billion in 2014 because of the new enforcement powers granted to the agency this year.

“This year, we’ve already breached our P6 billion target. We’ll go for at least P7 billion next year, but we expect that [figure] to even be a lot higher,” IPOPHL director general Ricardo R. Blancaflor told reporters last week.

As of end-November this year, member agencies of the National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights (NCIPR) were able to seize P6.6 billion worth of counterfeit and pirated goods.

Also, Blancaflor noted in a text message that 2013 was “another good year” considering the volume of the counterfeit goods seized.

But he believes the figures can still improve once all agencies turn in their full reports.

He further waxed optimistic that 2014 would be a better year for the agency, with “seizures expected to increase because IPOPHL now has enforcement powers.”

By virtue of the amended Intellectual Property Code, the IPOPHL issued earlier this year an office order that would allow it to have its own law enforcement arm. Its unit will have the authority to issue orders and initiate formal charges against those involved in the distribution and sale of counterfeit and pirated products.

Prior to the amendment of the IP Code in February 2013, IPOPHL did not have any enforcement powers. At that time, other NCIPR agencies—the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Bureau of Customs (BOC), Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Optical Media Board (OMB)—were  the only ones tasked to enforce the IP Code.

Meanwhile, Blancaflor also mentioned that, while IPOPHL is waiting for the go signal from the government to set up the Bureau of Copyright, the agency will already start accepting applications from firms for accreditation as collection management organizations (CMOs).

“We are going to soon publish these accreditation standards and then we will start accepting applications,” Blancaflor said. “The Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (Filscap) has already expressed its intention [to apply].”

The Bureau of Copyright, as provided by Republic Act 10372, or An Act Amending Certain Provisions of the IP Code, will be tasked to accredit collection management organizations (CMOs).

These CMOs will collect, on behalf of artists, performers, dancers, musicians, composers, authors and publishers, the corresponding royalties for the public or commercial use of local and foreign copyrighted materials across various industries such as music, entertainment, theater and publishing.

Blancaflor earlier said they expect the Bureau of Copyright to be operational by next year. This agency is seen to protect Filipino artists from copyright infringements and rightfully compensate them for their respective works or performances.

It will also put in place a system that can regulate the CMOs and the amount of royalties to be collected, as well as help in raising awareness about the importance of respecting intellectual property.