Int’l meet to make book thieves think twice

Book thieves, such as those photocopying and scanning whole textbooks and selling them as “book alikes,” may have to think twice about their lucrative business in and around educational institutions.

“Copy & Repro,” an international conference on intellectual property policies and copyright licensing for schools and universities at the 35^th Manila International Book Fair (MIBF), will gather international and local experts to discuss the implications of Republic Act 10372 on book piracy and the mandatory crafting of intellectual property (IP) policies for schools and universities.

A whole-day special event at MIBF, “Copy & Repro” is organized by Filipinas Copyright Licensing Society (FILCOLS) and will be held on September 19 at the Function Room 2, SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City.

FILCOLS’ partner organizations for the event are Intellectual Property (IP) Philippines, the National Book Development Board (NBDB), Book Development Association of the Philippines (BDAP), and the Brussels-based International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organizations (IFRRO).

IP Philippines director general Ricardo R. Blancaflor will deliver the keynote address, “Keeping the Philippines Off the USTR’s Watch List.”

The Intellectual Property Office (IP Philippines), under director general Blancaflor, and the National Committee on IPR (NCIPR), were instrumental in removing the Philippines from the United States Trade Representative (USTR) Special 301 Watch List this year. The country has been on the watch list for the past 20 years.

Book piracy, online and offline, and including the making of “book alikes,” is still rampant in the Philippines and was one of the reasons why the country was included in the US watch list. The Philippines’ removal in the watch list does not mean it has eradicated book piracy. IP Philippines and its partners in government and in the private sector must continue to set-up effective mechanisms to protect IPRs including combatting book piracy.

Prospective participants are requested to register early because of limited slots. Deadline for registration is on September 5, 2014.

Conference fees cover morning and afternoon snacks, lunch, certificate of participation, and conference kit. Regular rate is PHP 1,500.00. Discounted rate is PHP 1,200.00 for SUCs and for groups of three (3) or more participants from the same institution.

For more details and to know how to register, please visit http://www.manilabookfair.com/events.html or call Ms. Ran Espiridion at telefax (632) 439-2204 or email filcols@gmail.com.