Proposed measures to curb online content piracy start rolling
COMPOSITE PHOTO Senate of the Philippines and House of Representatives/INQUIRER FILES
Two bills that aim to amend the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines to enable online site blocking and safeguard intellectual property rights is scheduled to be tackled by the Senate Trade and Industry Committee on April 23.
The two bills also seek to strengthen the functions and powers of Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) to combat online piracy.
Entertainment personalities urged the Senate for swift passage of the amendments to the Intellectual Property Code to enable online site blocking and stop piracy.
According to the Office of Sen. Mark Villar, who is the chair of the Senate committee on trade and industry, that the panel would conduct public hearing on the proposed Senate Bill Nos. 2150 and 2385, which were considered as their priority measures.
The IPOPHL will be attending the public hearing and will be one of the speakers, Villar’s office said.
The proposed measures also aim to remove the IP Code’s existing limitations by broadening its scope to encompass electronic and online content within the definition of pirated goods.
The House of Representatives has already passed in May 2023 the counterpart bill—House Bill No. 7600 which was filed by Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda.
“Our laws must also respond to prevalent and more advanced forms of piracy and counterfeiting nowadays and with this proposed law, we hope to support governmental efforts that would protect intellectual property,” House Speaker Martin Romualdez earlier said.
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