FILCOLS inks First Licensing Agreement with Government Agency

The Filipinas Copyright Licensing Society, Inc. (FILCOLS) signed its first licensing agreement with the government’s Department of Education last 5 December 2012. FILCOLS chair Dr. Isagani R. Cruz and DepEd secretary Br. Armin A. Luistro, FSC signed the agreement at the Bulwagan ng Karunungan (Knowledge Hall), DepEd Complex, Pasig City.

Signing of the licensing agreement between FILCOLS and the Philippine Department of Education. (l-r) FILCOLS executive director Alvin J. Buenaventura, DepEd secretary (minister) Br. Armin A. Luistro, FSC, and FILCOLS chair Dr. Isagani R. Cruz. (Photo by OSEC)

The Department (Ministry) of Education is the largest bureaucracy in the country with 647,299 employees scattered in 17 regions. These are mainly teachers handling 21.49 million students for the 2012-2013 school year.  The enrolees for this school year are 1.73 million in kindergarten, 14 million in elementary, and 5.76 million in secondary.

For 2013, the Department of Education has been allocated PHP 292.7 billion (USD 17 billion or EURO 12.6 billion). The education department receives the largest allocation from the government budget.

Earlier in May 2012, Br. Armin wrote to Dr. Cruz to tell him that the Department does not have “significant funds” for copyright fees. However, he acknowledged the right of authors to just remuneration for the use of their creations.

Prior to his appointment as Education Secretary (Minister), Br. Luistro was the president of the De la Salle University – Manila. He is a member of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, a Roman Catholic religious congregation dedicated to provide a human and Christian education.

FILCOLS is the Philippine collective management organization (CMO) in the text and image sector incorporated in 2008 as a not for profit organization. The society is a member of the Brussels-based International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organizations (IFRRO) since 2009.

FILCOLS was the product of the cooperation among government and rightsholders associations namely National Book Development Board (NBDB), Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IP Philippines), Book Development Association of the Philippines (BDAP), and the Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (UMPIL – Writers’ Union of the Philippines).

BDAP initially funded FILCOLS in 2008-2009. BDAP is the country’s largest book industry association and organizer of the annual Manila International Book Fair since 1979. UMPIL is the largest association of Filipino writers. 

FILCOLS received support, both technical and financial, from various Norwegian rightsholders organizations and from the Norwegian government through the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD). From 2010-2012, NORAD provided grants for FILCOLS together with Kopinor, the reproduction rights organization (RRO) of Norway; and the Norwegian Copyright Development Association (NORCODE). 

Cruz was a founding board member of FILCOLS. In 2010, the general membership of FILCOLS elected him chair. He taught at the De la Salle University – Manila for 38 years and also headed its publishing arm. After his retirement from DLSU, he became president of The Manila Times College at the beginning of 2011. 

The Manila Times College was the first private college licensee of FILCOLS. TMTC signed the agreement last July 30.

Witnesses to the FILCOLS-DepEd signing were FILCOLS executive director Alvin J. Buenaventura and IMCS director Socorro A. Pilor. The Instructional Materials Council Secretariat is an office under the Department of Education tasked with developing the learners’ materials and teachers’ guides.

Book Industry Christmas Party held last Dec. 13

The Book Industry Christmas Party was held last Dec. 13, 2011 at the Clubhouse, Valle Verde IV, Pasig City from 7:00 p.m. till 11:00 p.m.

Members of the Book Development Association of the Philippines (BDAP) celebrate with partners from the National Book Development Board (NBDB) and Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (UMPIL).

More than a hundred guests made up of writers and publishers attended the merry event. During the first part of the program, the election for new members of the Board of Trustees of the Book Development Association of the Philippines (BDAP) took place. Then dinner was served as Symfonia band played great music.

FILCOLS Executive Director Alvin Buenaventura gave the welcome remarks. He called Ms. Ani Almario-David to introduce the Guest Speaker.

The Guest Speaker was none other than Ms. Neni Sta. Romana-Cruz, the newly-appointed Chairperson of the National Book Development Board (NBDB). She delivered her message to the stakeholders of the book industry. According to her, she cannot contain her excitement to work for the betterment of the book industry and that she is ready for all the challenges ahead.

Ms. Neni Sta. Romana-Cruz, NBDB's new chairperson.

After her message, some games were played out. Writers and publishers readily formed their own teams to compete in some wacky parlor games. All of the participants received their prizes from Vim Nadera, Angeline Montilla, and Alvin Buenaventura tandem. Nadera is associate professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman while Angeline Montilla works as a model.

"Santa Claus" Vim Nadera with "angel" Angeline Montilla and "reindeer" Alvin Buenaventura.

Buenaventura called Lirio P. Sandoval, the BDAP's outgoing president. He gave a testimonial for Dr. Dennis T. Gonzalez, the former Chairperson of NBDB.

In behalf of the BDAP, Mr. Sandoval also awarded a plaque of appreciation to Dr. Gonzalez for good governance, for all the things that he has done for the industry, and for the partnerships that were very beneficial to Filipino publishers, writers, and readers.

BDAP president Lirio P. Sandoval

Dr. Gonzalez was very pleased with the surprise testimonial for him. He responded with a message that narrated his journey with the NBDB and the whole book industry. He shared that the past administration had attempts to demolish the NBDB. That was ten years ago, before he took over. He also shared that initially, he just wanted to apply the lessons he learned in the academe in a government agency. And NBDB was just the right agency for him. And the result was overwhelmingly helpful and beneficial to everyone.

Dr. Dennis T. Gonzalez

After Dr. Gonzalez's response, the parlor games resumed. Raffle prizes were also given away.

Publishers and authors enjoyed the games facilitated by Vim Nadera and model Angeline Montilla.

Before the night ended, Esther Pacheco, one of the advisers of BDAP, announced the election results.

The members of the Board of Trustees are the following:

Lirio P. Sandoval
Cristina Pantoja-Hidalgo
Segundo Matias, Jr.
Jose Maria Policarpio

The complete list will be provided very soon.

This article was written by Beverly W. Siy. You may repost or publish it anytime, anywhere for free as long as the author's permission is sought. Email filcols@gmail.com.

Buhay na Titik: Nasaan ang Plate Number ng Libro Mo?

ni Alvin J. Buenaventura ng FILCOLS

Nasaan ang Plate Number ng Libro Mo?

Noong kaunti pa lang ang mga libro sa mundo, pamagat lang ay sapat na para ma-identify ang mga ito. Kapag “The Old Man and the Sea” siguradong kay Hemingway at ang “Banaag at Sikat” ay kay Lope K. Santos. Maluwag pa ang kalye noon para sa kakaunting libro na umaandar.

Pero dahil sa dami ng bagong author at bagong technology, mabilis na ang pagbuo at pagdami ng mga libro. Kaya kailangan na ng paraan para mabilis at madali silang makilala, mahanap, at maibenta sa mga bookstore o sa internet.

Kung ang kotse ay may plate number, ang libro ay may ISBN. Ang International Standard Book Number ay ang 13-numerong makikita sa copyright page ng libro. Sa back cover naman, makikita ito sa itaas ng bar code.

Ang 13-numerong ito ay pinaghihiwalay ng gitling para mahati sa 5 bahagi. Ang unang grupo ng numero ay nagsasabing ito ay nasa ilalim ng book publishing. Ang ikalawang number ay ang ID kung saang parte ng mundo nakabase ang publisher. Ang ikatlong grupo ng numero ang ID ng publisher. Ang ikaapat ay ang ID ng title ng libro. At ang huling numero ay ang check digit na siyang nagba-validate o nagsasabing tama ang ISBN. Pag mali ang last digit na ito ay invalid o di puwedeng gamitin ang ISBN.

Bakit kailangan ng ISBN kung meron na namang bar code?

Ang bar code ang mga itim na mga guhit na parang pick-up sticks sa back cover ng libro. Sila ang binabaril ni Ate Cashier para malaman natin mula sa cash register ang presyo ng libro. Ang ISBN ay kailangan para makakuha ng bar code.

Ang mga libro lang na may ISBN ang puwedeng ibenta sa mga bookstore o sa internet. No ISBN. No benta.

Ang National Library lang ang awtorisadong magbigay ng ISBN sa mga publisher o self-publishers ng libro at mga produktong katulad ng libro tulad ng audiobooks.

Ang paggamit ng ISBN sa bansa ay isinulong ng NBDB noong 1999 sa paglabas ng National Book Policy. Kahit na sa world publishing market ay ginagamit na ito noong mga 1960s pa.

Dahil sa ISBN, ang mga libro ay mabilis na ma-order, ma-locate, at maibenta. Hindi lang sa local bookstores naibebenta ang ating mga libro, nakakapasok din ito sa information superhighway na mas kilala bilang internet.

Katuwang ng NBDB sa pagpapaunlad ng industriya ang FILCOLS. Para mas maging malalim at malusog ang iyong kaalaman, bisitahin ang websites namin: www.filcols.blogspot.com at www.nbdb.gov.ph.

Inaanyayahan ang mga awtor, publisher, o tagapagmana ng copyright na sumali sa FILCOLS. Ito’y para mabigyang proteksiyon ang kanilang mga akda. Kailangan lamang ay mayroon kayong published works kung kayo ay awtor/publisher o nasa inyo ang kapangyarihang magmanage kung heirs kayo ng awtor. Wala pong membership fee. Kung may tanong hinggil sa tinalakay na paksa, mag-email lamang sa filcols@gmail.com.

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)