DILG: No OMB license, no business permit

CEBU, Philippines - Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse Robredo has ordered anew all local chief executives to refrain from issuing permits to optical media establishments that cannot present a license from the Optical Media Board.

But the memorandum circular, which is addressed to all provincial governors, city and municipal mayors, presiding officers of Provincial Boards, City and Municipal Councils and barangay captains, did not order for an intensified campaign against the distributors of pirated media optical products.

Republic Act 9239 or the Optical Media Act of 2003, protects and promotes rights to intellectual property, and regulates mastering, manufacturing, replicating, importation and exportation of optical media, through illegal ways.

Section 13 of the Optical Media Act provides that a license issued by the Optical Media Board (OMB) is a condition precedent for securing the necessary business permit for the operation of an Optical Media establishment.

But it is already an “open secret” that hundreds of persons selling optical media products on the sidewalks of Cebu City are operating without permits from City Hall because its officials are not cooperating in the campaign against pirated optical media products.

Robredo has ordered the local chief executives to cooperate in the campaign against pirated optical media products by requiring an OMB-issued license for those applicants of business permits.

“All concerned local authorities are enjoined to require the submission of a license issued by the OMB before the release of a business permit to an Optical Media establishment,” Robredo said in his memorandum.

The FREEMAN tried to get the reaction of Mayor Michael Rama, but failed to reach him. Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young said he is against Robredo’s order, saying “Dili ko uyon. Trabaho na sa taga Optical Media Board ang pagpanakop. Ilang trabaho kita’y patrabahoon.”

Rama earlier criticized the DILG for always intervening in the functions of the local government units, particularly when the local officials were told not to conduct trainings and seminars outside of the LGU’s territorial jurisdictions.

The officials of the National Commission on Filipino Muslims, formerly known as the Office of the Muslim Affairs, had earlier asked the government to intensify the campaign against the manufacturers of pirated optical media products rather than against the vendors. — (FREEMAN)