Senate asked to urgently pass bills to protect creative sector

Cybercrime. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Advocacy group CitizenWatch is appealing to the Senate to give attention to bills about online site blocking as the country needs to urgently fight online piracy to protect the creative sector.

Group co-convenor and former Quezon City 6th district representative Jose Christopher Belmonte said the passage of Senate Bills 2150 and 2385, which will give more powers to the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) against online piracy, could shield Filipino creatives from cyber thieves.

The Senate bills also aim to amend the Intellectual Property Code, Belmonte noted.

“Workers in our creative sector need our support and protection lest they become disenfranchised,” Belmonte said.

“Without their creations, the damage is not just economic, the deterioration of innovative thought and creative expression will weaken the nation’s socio-cultural development,” he added.

READ: Blocking of sites with pirated content pushed

In May 2023, the House of Representatives passed House Bill No. 7600 which also grants powers to the IPOPHL.

“Our senators have to act when they resume their sessions in two weeks and before they break again for the Lenten Season,” Belmonte continued.

“We call on our good legislators in the Senate to act expeditiously on the Online Site Blocking Act as every day that online piracy sites are allowed to operate is a big blow to what should be a thriving economic driver of the Philippine economy,” he likewise said.

READ: Consumer group urges gov’t to crackdown on online piracy