Philippines’ Anti-Piracy Efforts Lag as Creative Industries Suffer
The Philippines’ creative industries are suffering due to ongoing digital piracy, with the Senate’s delay in passing the Site Blocking Bill exacerbating the issue. Despite over 50 countries, including South Korea, the UK, and Australia, implementing effective site-blocking measures, the Philippines has yet to follow suit. A 2022 report by Media Partners Asia estimated that the local entertainment sector lost approximately ₱781 million (around USD $14 million) to illegal streaming and downloads that year, impacting a wide range of stakeholders from major studios to freelancers and SMEs. Two Senate bills—SB 2150 by Senator Jinggoy Estrada and SB 2385 by Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.—aim to empower the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) and internet service providers to block access to offshore piracy websites. However, both bills remain stalled in the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship, chaired by Senator Allan Peter Cayetano, with no hearings scheduled. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has already passed a counterpart bill introduced by Rep. Joey Salceda in 2023.
