FILCOLS and the American Publishers

Local book industry players slammed American publishers for continuing to benefit from the exemption of the 12 percent e-VAT payment and yet refused to support a government-backed copyright collection management society to promote protection of copyrights.

This comment was submitted by the Book Development Association of the Philippines, Inc. (BDAP) to the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) as its input in the ongoing review of the Special 301 Watch List, which ranks countries according to their performance in the enforcement of laws and protection of the intellectual property rights.

Read the rest of the article here:

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/199880/vat-exemption-us-publishers-scored

Getting to Know FILCOLS

WHAT ARE REPROGRAPHIC RIGHTS?
Reprographic rights are rights to reproduce and replicate copyrighted works.

WHAT IS A REPROGRAPHIC RIGHTS ORGANIZATION (RRO)?
A Reprographic Rights Organization (RRO) is a central mechanism for copyright owners and reproducers to exchange permission and royalties. By collecting payment for reproduction of copyrighted materials, RROs enable writers to receive remuneration that are uniquely or more effectively handled through collective rights scheme by statute or voluntary agreement.

ADVANTAGE OF RROs
Practicality
RROs can effectively provide service for both the copyright owners and users to control and benefit from licensed copying. Copyright owners can authorize the RRO to license limited copying from their works. Users can obtain through the RRO a license to copy within limits. The RRO obtains fees for licensed copying and distributes the fees to the copyright owners.

Centralized approach
By representation of the RRO, the member authors and publishers cannot be discriminated against non-payment of license fee for copying.

Economies of Scale
RRO can collect from end users and distribute fees to the individual copyright owners, in a way that is impossible for authors and publishers to accomplish individually or even as a small group.

WHAT IS IFRRO?
IFRRO is the international Federation of Reproduction Rights Organization which links together all collecting societies with national and international copyright owner’s organizations representing hundreds of thousands of creators worldwide. IFRRO is eligible to speak before major international copyright organizations, including WIPO and UNESCO. IFRRO’s objectives are:
1. To foster the creation of RROs worldwide
2. To facilitate formal and informal agreements and relationships between and in behalf of its members; and
3. To increase public and institutional awareness of copyright and the role of RROs in conveying rights and royalties between copyright owners and users.

WHAT IS FILCOLS?
FILCOLS stands for Filipinas Copyright Licensing Society, Inc. a non-profit, non-stock organization or collecting society in the Philippines that shall collectively manage the rights to reproduce the works of authors and publishers, thereby securing fair payment for the copying of their works.

FILCOLS is the duly constituted RRO in the Philippines and endorsed by the National Book Development Board (NBDB) and Intellectual Property Philippines (IP Phils).

FILCOLS is supported by the Book Development Association of the Philippines (BDAP), the country's largest book industry organization, and the Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (UMPIL) or the Writers Union of the Philippines, the largest organization of Filipino writers.

FILCOLS is affiliated with IFRRO.

WHAT ARE THE OBJECTIVES OF FILCOLS?
1. To manage reprographic rights to literary, dramatic, scientific and educational works by authors and publishers and other rights owners (domestic and foreign).
2. To control the widespread unauthorized copying of copyrighted works by authors and publishers which deprives them of income they should have legally realized.
3. To determine and collect license fees provided for in the intellectual Property Code due for private purpose copying by means of reprography.
4. To distribute collected revenues to concerned right holders.
5. To provide members of FILCOLS better protection against infringement and illegal reproduction of their works and afford them legal assistance in case of administrative, civil and/or criminal actions.
6. To encourage and motivate more people to venture into book writing and publishing by ensuring protection of their intellectual property rights.
7. To promote a national culture of respect and awareness for copyright.

WHO CAN BE MEMBERS OF FILCOLS?
1. Authors
2. Publishers
3. Journalists
4. Artists
5. All Copyright Owners




FILCOLS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

VIRGILIO S. ALMARIO - Chairperson
Author

KARINA A. BOLASCO- Vice Chairperson
Local Trade Books Publisher

LIRIO P. SANDOVAL - Treasurer
Book Development Association of the
Philippines

ISAGANI R. CRUZ
Author

MARIANO L. KILATES
Author

ABDON M. BALDE, JR
Author

ERLINDA E. PANLILIO
Author

MAX S. GOMEZ
Local Textbook Publisher

ROLANDO DE VERA
Foreign Publisher Representative



In the Philippines, the establishment of a licensing or collecting society is sanctioned under SEC. 183 of Rep. Act No. 8293 also known as the Intellectual Property Code

“The copyright owners or their heirs may designate a society of artists, writers or composers to enforce their economic rights and moral rights on their behalf”


FILIPINAS COPYRIGHT LICENSING SOCIETY, INC.

Alvin J. Buenaventura
Executive Director
5F, A-Z Building
723 Sgt. Bumatay Street, Barangay Plainview
Mandaluyong City 1550
Republic of the Philippines
Tel. No. (632)-533-2309; (632)-746-7162
Fax No. (632)-533-2399;
Email: filcols@gmail.com




Respect for copyright is respect for the human rights of authors (Universal Declaration of Human Rights Art. 27.2)