Update sa intellectual property code, tugon sa talamak na online piracy – kongresista

MANILA, Philippines – Iginiit ni Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda na ang pagpasa sa panukalang batas na mag-aamyenda sa intellectual property code ay magiging epektibong hakbang laban sa online piracy dahil mahaharang nito ang mga site na may paggalang sa due process. 

“Online piracy will kill digital creatives. And that’s an existential threat to the entire creatives sector. If we don’t find a way to respond to this threat, we can say goodbye to the future of streaming and digital content creation in the country,” ayon kay Salceda.

Ipinaliwanag ng chair ng House Ways and Means Committee na ang House Bill No. 7600, kapag inaprubahan, ay magsisilbing malakas na kasangga ng sumisiglang Philippine streaming industry dahil layon nitong i-institutionalize ang mga hakbang na haharang sa sites ng mga pirata na nagtatago sa ilalim ng proteksiyon ng 'due process'. 

"With the help of content owners, the Philippines should invest in a system of rapidly identifying and responding to online piracy incidents, with the help of content owners,” anang Albay solon.

Gayunman, sinabi ni Salceda na ang nasabing mga pagsisikap ay maaaring magkaroon ng malaking balakid dahil sa kawalan ng batas na magsasantabi sa isyu ng due process at magpapahintulot sa pagharang sa mga  site na pinaniniwalaang nakapipinsala sa mga lehitimo.

“That’s why we need to clarify in the intellectual property code how to do this. How to complain. How to hear the complaint. How to appeal. How to execute judgment. It’s time to pass an online site blocking law that respects due process," dagdag ni Salceda.

Binigyang-diin ng Albay solon na ang pagpasa sa HB 7600 ay lubhang napapanahon sa gitna ng potensiyal ng  creative industry bilang pinagkukunan ng “resilient and sustainable growth in employment and economic activity.”

“Without a law amending the intellectual protesty law, the digital creatives sector could stagnate or shrink unless efforts are taken to fight online piracy,” ayon pa kay Salceda.

“The future of Philippine creatives, and Philippine entertainment in particular, is streaming. That kept K-pop alive when we couldn’t do concerts during COVID-19. It has become the dominant sector in entertainment in the West. That’s what we should look to. That’s what we should protect,” aniya.  

“As incomes grow, so too will demand for this form of entertainment. People are obviously willing to pay, as seen in the growth of subscriptions to companies like Netflix. And as soon as we produce quality content, we will see demand for Philippine streaming.”

“But if we cannot protect programs for streaming in the infancy of Filipino streaming – we will see this industry die before it gets its chance to flourish.”

Tinukoy ang mga pagtaya mula sa Philippine Statistics Authority, na nagsasabing ang digital creatives sector ay nagtala ng pinakamabagal na employment growth sa hanay ng creatives subsectors sa 4.5% (with total sector growth to have been at 10.5%) mula 2021 hanggang 2022, nagbabala si Salceda na “ang online creatives ay maaaring magpatuloy na pinakamabagal sa paglago o umurong kung hindi natin ito mapoprotektahan.”

“We have that in the bill (HB 7600). And I am almost certain the House will pass the measure. I’m hoping our counterparts in the Senate see the wisdom and the urgency in the proposal. The streaming sector is in its infancy. Online site blocking is child immunization," pagbibigay-diin pa ng kongresista.