Copyright for Literary, Scientific and Artistic Works

29 July 2011

The Living Letter by Alvin Buenaventura of FILCOLS
Translated from Filipino by Beverly W. Siy

Copyright for literary, scientific and artistic works

Do you know that ideas, processes, systems, concepts, principles, discoveries, facts and procedures are not copyrightable?

Because they are just building blocks that authors need in order to create a work. Ideas for a love story are abundant and are always available. An example of this is the story of a beautiful, poor woman who fell for a rich guy. This guy fell in love with her as well. He is an only child and the sole inheritor of a big time business. It’s almost a perfect love story. But here comes a rich and dazzling girl with an evil mind (and laughter too). She is very much in love with the guy and will do everything just to get his attention, love and money as well. There goes a perfect love triangle.

Any poet or fictionist may use this idea to create new works. If the person who came up with this particular idea will be given copyright, we might not encounter another literary work, song, movie or stage play about the aforementioned love triangle. And that is because it is already copyrighted. This might result to a drought in the fountain of creativity. People might also get bored with the story of this love triangle written by just one author.

In literature or any written works, letters of the alphabet and the words are considered as building blocks.

In the visual arts, it is the shapes and colors. Colors like red, yellow, blue and others are not copyrightable, as well as the shapes like circle, square, rectangle and more. If these building blocks of the visual arts were copyrightable, most of the drawings and paintings will be deprived of colors and shapes. And what kind of visual artworks will they be? Even the most abstract artwork needs the most basic of colors and shapes.

The creative consolidation of shapes , mixture and teaming up of colors become paintings, drawings and visual art works. These are original expressions of ideas of the painters and artists. These are the final products and these are the creations that can be copyrighted. It can be a t-shirt design, sculpture, book illustration and others.

In the field of music, the notes and sounds are building blocks, therefore, they are not copyrightable. Your father-in-law can never claim that he’s got copyright over the C note or the B flat note. If that happens, most of our songs will be incomplete, most of the compositions will be a pain to listen to and music will never be the same again.

These building blocks are used by composers, musicians and lyricists to create beautiful songs and entertaining compositions. These songs and compositions are the final products of creative processes and therefore, they are the ones copyrightable.
In the field of science, the discoveries, facts and names are building blocks. These are not copyrightable as well.

Conotoxin from a marine snail or sea snail was discovered by Dr. Lourdes J. Cruz and Dr. Baldomero M. Olivera, two National Scientists of our country.

Conotoxin is a kind of poison used by marine snails to catch their meal. They eat tiny fishes and other tiny marine creatures. The facts about conotoxin and the names of Dr. Cruz and Dr. Olivera are not copyrightable. If these were copyrightable, nobody can write about it anymore except for the person who owns its copyright.
The two scientists need to talk about and discuss their discovery through articles and by writing about Conotoxins and the marine snails that can be found in the Philippines.

Their articles will include building blocks like discovery, facts, and names.
Only the scientific articles of Dr. Cruz and Dr. Olivera are the materials that are copyrightable.

Ideas, names, notes, colors, shapes and others are still very important even if they are not copyrightable. Simply because they are the building blocks of any creation.

Authors, publishers or heirs of copyright owners are invited to join FILCOLS. We will help you protect your copyright over your works. To join, one only needs to have published works, or one must be the heirs of an author or has the right to manage the rights of an author. Membership is free. If you have queries, email us at filcols@gmail.com.

Buhay na Titik: Iba pang Gabay na Prinsipyo sa Likod ng National Book Policy

ni Alvin J. Buenaventura ng FILCOLS

 

Iba pang Gabay na Prinsipyo sa Likod ng National Book Policy

Ayon sa National Book Policy: ang mga libro ang pinakamabisa at abot-kayang gamit para ma-develop ang Filipino ideals. Mahalagang ma-develop sa mga kabataan ang pagmamahal sa bayan, ang tamang values, at ang pagkilala sa ating cultural heritage. Ang mga librong isinulat ng kapwa natin Filipino ang makakatulong nang malaki sa paghubog ng isip at galaw ng ating mga kabataan.

Mahalaga ang initiative ng private sector para ma-develop ang isang masiglang book publishing industry. Ang papel ng gobyerno ay ang magbigay ng suporta sa pamamagitan ng mga incentive sa publishers tulad ng tax exemption, mga programang makakatulong para makagawa ang publishers ng magaganda at de-kalidad na libro.

Ang layon ng paglilimbag ng mga teksbuk ay para magbigay-suporta sa curricular objectives ng basic education. Toka ng gobyerno ang pagbuo ng kurikulum ng elementarya at hayskul pati na ang paghahanap ng pondo mula sa mga institusyon tulad ng World Bank. Toka ng publishers mula sa private sector ang production at distribution ng mga teksbuk. Ang layon ay makapagbigay ng isang teksbuk sa bawat mag-aaral.

Mahalaga ang mga akdang local, paglilimbag sa local language, at paglilimbag sa mga rehiyon para madevelop ng todo ang book publishing. Ang mga akdang local na nasa local language ang magpapayaman sa ating kultura at magpe-preserve nito. Ang paglilimbag bilang negosyo sa mga rehiyon ay makakapagbigay ng trabaho para maiwasan ang pagdagsa ng mga tao sa mga siyudad tulad ng Maynila.

Mahalagang maging globally competitive ang local book industry. Dapat bawasan ng gobyerno ang mga bureaucratic requirements para malayang makagalaw ang industriya. Dapat na tutukan na makaabot ang book industry sa international standards, sa pagbibigay ng suporta para sa mga joint ventures sa foreign publishers, sa pagbubukas ng mga bagong market, at mga bagong panggagalingan ng capital.

Mahalagang magdevelop ang kultura ng pagbabasa dahil ang pagbabasa ay nakakaganda ng kalidad ng buhay. Kapag marami ang may reading habit dadami ang bibili ng libro na magpapasigla sa industriya. Dapat na may regular reading campaign at magandang library system.

Ang book publishing ay isang social commitment. Dapat itong umunlad dahil dito nakasalalay ang ganda ng edukasyon. Dapat na madaling mapasakamay ng mga mahihirap ang mga libro dahil ito ang daan sa pansariling pag-unlad.

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.

Celebrating World Anti-Counterfeiting Day the FILCOLS' Way

“Magnanakaw ang mga pirata. Ninakaw nila ang buhay ng libo-libong trabahador sa pagawaan ng mga bag sa Marikina. Dahil gumagawa sila niyan at ibinebenta dito sa atin!”

It was Ricardo Blancaflor, the Director General of the Intellectual Property Office Philippines (IPOPHL). He then pointed at heaps of counterfeited and pirated bags, fake Louis Vuittons to be exact, in front of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Grandstand, Camp Crame, Quezon City.

It was the ceremonial destruction of confiscated counterfeited and pirated goods led by IPOPHL in cooperation with National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights (NCIPR) held last June 30, 2011. The activity was part of the celebration of World Anti-Counterfeiting Day. The Global Anti-Counterfeiting Group marked one day in the calendar to raise the common people’s awareness on IP, piracy and the world economy.

Arturo Cacdac, Jr., the Director of Directoriate for Investigation and Detective Management,PNP delivered the welcome and opening remarks.

The representatives of Bureau of Customs, Department of Interior and Local Government, Optical Media Board, Food and Drug Administration, National Book Development Board, National Bureau of Investigation, Office of the Special Envoy on Transnational Crime, PNP, Department of Justice, National Telecommunications Office and Intellectual Property Coalition, Inc. delivered their statement of support.

Everyone was hopeful that fight against counterfeit and piracy in the Philippines is now moving from one level up to the next in a speedy manner. Most of them invited the public to join the fight as well. Because, as DG Blancaflor earlier expressed, it was a fight for the livelihood, for the lives of workers.

The ceremonial destruction included slashing fake Louis Vuittons and fake Lacoste rubber shoes with a cutter, crushing fake DVDs and computer hardware (a tank ran over them again and again) and throwing fake Viagra and medicines into the incinerator.

Private groups and companies also took part in the celebration. Attendees were representatives of Oakley Eyewear company and FILCOLS among others.

FILCOLS destroyed a number of book-alikes through an incinerator in the middle of the parade grounds. The day before, FILCOLS went to Morayta and was able to buy pirated versions of local and foreign published books particularly Cambridge IELTS for the ceremonial destruction.

Ms. Helen Cheng, the First Secretary of the Economic and Commercial Section, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China showed her support of the event by giving the closing remarks.


Written by Beverly W. Siy. You may repost this article or publish it anywhere, for free, as long as the byline of the author is retained. Photos are owned by FILCOLS. Email us at filcols@gmail.com if you have questions.

Buhay na Titik: Mga Gabay na Prinsipyo sa Likod ng National Book Policy

ni Alvin J. Buenaventura ng FILCOLS

Mga Gabay na Prinsipyo sa Likod ng National Book Policy

Nakasaad sa RA 8047 sec. 2, ang State Policy ukol sa industriya ng paglilimbag ng libro: to promote the continuing development of the book industry, with the active participation of the private sector, to ensure an adequate supply of affordable and quality-produced books not only for the domestic but also for the export market.

Ang State Policy ay ang prinsipyong nagsisilbing gabay ng pamahalaan. Nagsasaad din ito ng course of action o mga hakbang na dapat isagawa para maabot ang layon.

Ang layon ng gobyerno ay mapaunlad ang industriya ng paglilimbag ng libro. Katuwang nito ang bibong partisipasyon ng private sector. Para umunlad ang industriya ay dapat na may sapat na supply ng mga libro. At ang mga libro ay dapat na de-kalidad at may presyong abot-kaya. Ito ay para sa mga mambabasang Filipino at ang iba ay pang-export din.

Bakit kailangang paunlarin ng gobyerno ang industriya ng paglilimbag ng libro? Di ba ang dapat na pagtuunan ng pansin ay ang makaahon sa kahirapan ang mga Filipino, makakain nang sapat, maging malusog, magkaroon ng tahanan, at trabaho?

Pinagtutuunan ng pansin ng gobyerno ang industriya dahil ito ay may mahalagang papel sa national development. Ayon sa pag-aaral ng World Intellectual Property Organization, ang copyright-based industries sa Filipinas ay nagbibigay ng trabaho sa 300,000 tao. Isa ang book publishing sa mga copyright-based industry.

Kung nakakapagbigay ng trabaho sa 300,000 tao ang mga copyright-based industry, ibig sabihin may 1.2 milyong tao ang naiibsan ang kahirapan, nakakakain, napapanatili ang kalusugan, at nakakapanirahan sa disenteng tahanan.

Paano nangyari ito? 300,000 x 4 = 1,200,000. Ibig sabihin: ang taong nagtatrabaho kasama ang umaasa sa kanya, ang asawa at tatlong anak. Siyempre hula lang natin ito dahil ang resulta ng pag-aaral ng WIPO ay 300,000 empleyado ng mga copyright-based industry kung saan kabilang ang book publishing. Puwedeng mas mababa o mas mataas ang bilang ng mga taong dependent sa kanila.

Pero ang punto ay nakakatulong ang book publishing na maiahon sa kahirapan ang mga Filipino at nakakatulong itong maibsan ang malawakang unemployment.

Ayon din sa RA 8047, ang national development ay may dalawang pundasyon: economic at social growth. Hindi sapat na may materyal na bagay lang ang isang bansa, dapat ay maunlad din ang kultura. At ang mga libro ay siyang mabisang instrument para sa intellectual, technical, at cultural development ng mga tao.

Dahil dito, hindi lamang ang may trabaho sa book publishing at kanilang pamilya ang nakikinabang, lumalaki rin ang bilang ng nabibigyan ng benepisyo dahil ang mga libro ay maraming nararating, malayo ang nararating.

Mabisa ang libro at isa itong instrumentong abot-kaya para mapasakamay ng lahat ang edukasyon. Mahalaga din ang libro sa pagpapakalat ng kultura dahil dito nakasulat, nakalarawan, at naka-preserve ang ating kasaysayan, mga nobela, mga tula, awit, at iba pa.

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

FILCOLS Meets FEU Key Persons for Future IP Policy

"No dispute. No guide," said Dr. Richard P. Pulmones, the Director of University Research Center (URC) of the Far Eastern University Manila Campus.

He was referring to dispute about ownership of intellectual property or creation in the university. According to him, there was no dispute at all but there was no guide as well in case a dispute came up.

It could have been one of the reasons why FEU's executives decided to accept Filipinas Copyright Licensing Society's (FILCOLS) invitation for a meeting.

Dr. Pulmones, Dr. Barbara Wong Fernandez, the Vice-President for Academic Development, Ms. Agnes Malcampo of the Publication Office and Ms. Annabelle Verdote of the URC met with the FILCOLS team: Alvin J. Buenaventura, Executive Director, Beverly Siy, Executive Officer, Atty. Javier Flores and Atty. Kristina Castaneda, legal counsels last 19 July 2011 Institute of Arts and Sciences Conference Room, FEU, Manila.

As FILCOLS introduced the concept of copyright licensing to the FEU executives, the creation of the university's own Intellectual Property Policy was brought up. Dr. Pulmones also mentioned setting up an Ethics Committee that will also cover IP and copyright issues.

The need for a seminar on copyright and IP was also deemed important. According to Dr. Wong-Fernandez, a lot of FEU professors are also writers and producers of copyrighted materials. FILCOLS proposed to hold a Huntahan for their authors. The FEU team approved the idea and promised to check the school calendar for a possible date.

They also believe that it will be very beneficial to the school so that there will be clear rules and guidelines in the ownership of copyrighted materials. Examples are the artworks being produced by FEU artists/students, the marketing or business proposals written by the students and the text books developed and written by the professors.

The meeting ended with a promise of collaboration for the IP Policy of FEU, and eventually a licensing agreement with FILCOLS in the future. Which is a much, much better option than the no dispute, no guide situation.

FILCOLS Publisher-Members at the 15th Philippine Academic Book Fair

Academic Booksellers Association of the Philippines presents 15th Philippine Academic Publishing Book Fair with the theme ABAP: 15 Years of Providing Quality Books to the Filipino People and Ready to Face the Challenge of Educational Reform. It was held at the Megatrade Hall 3, 5th Level, Mega B, SM Megamall, EDSA, Mandaluyong City last July 12-16, 2011.

On the first day of the event, a forum on expectations of administrators of their librarians was held. It was hosted by Philippine Librarians Association, Inc. (PLAI)-NCR. It was followed by a forum on Professional's Best: Library Service and Teaching Portfolios: Creating and Collecting hosted by Philippine Association of Academic and Research Librarians (PAARL) on the second day. A seminar-workshop for Christian Living teachers hosted by Asian Catholic Communicators, Inc. was held on the third day. It was about transforming education through understanding by design. And the last day featured a book launch-forum "Economics for the Filipinos" hosted by IBON Foundation, Inc.

FILCOLS Publisher-members A-Z Direct Marketing, Inc., Ateneo de Manila University Press, C & E Publishing, Inc., Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc., New Day Publishers, Shepherd's Voice Publications, Inc., and the University of Santo Tomas Publishing House joined the book fair as exhibitors.

Other exhibitors include Academic Book Sales, Inc., Academic Connection Library Services, Alexan Commercial (ACe Electronic Technology, Inc.), Asiatype Distribution, Inc., Book Trends Enterprises, CD Books International, Inc., Creative Mind Books Center, EDCA Publishing & Distributing Corporation, F&J de Jesus, Inc., Fastbooks Educational Supply, Inc., Forefront Book Co., Inc., Global Learning Media Corp., Golden Books Services, Inc., Manila Bulleting Publishing Corporation, Megatexts Phil., Inc., New Century Books, Paulines, Rarebook Enterprises, Readers' Knowledge Bookstore, St. Paul's, University of the Philippines Press, Cengage Learning-Philippine Branch, Emerald Headway Distributors, Inc., High Access Line Phils. Corp, John Wily & Sons (Asia) Pte Ltd, Pearson and Phoenix Educational Systems, Inc.

The 15th Philippine Academic Book Fair is co-organized by Primetrade Asia, Inc., Department of Education and Commission on Higher Education, with Manila Bulletin, 105.1 Crossover, Energy FM and Mellow 94.7 FM as media partners.

Buhay na Titik: Sa Loob ng NBDB

ni Alvin J .Buenaventura ng FILCOLS

Sa Loob ng NBDB

Ang DNA ang siyang pinagmumulan ng instructions o kautusan kung papaano made-develop at magpa-function ang lahat ng buhay na organismo. Ang Republic Act ang DNA sa pagbubuo at pagtakbo ng ahensiya ng gobyerno tulad ng National Book Development Board.


Ayon sa RA 8047 o Book Publishing Industry Development Act, para mabigyan ng karampatang serbisyo ang industriya ng paglilimbag ng libro sa bansa ay kailangang bumuo ng ahensiyang tatawaging NBDB.

Ang NBDB ay pinamumunuan ng Governing Board. Ito ay may labingisang miyembro na appointed ng Pangulo ng Filipinas. Lima mula sa gobyerno at anim mula sa private sector.

Sino-sino ang mga ito? Sa panig ng gobyerno, pipili ng limang kinatawan. Isa mula sa bawat ahensiya: Department of Education, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Trade and Industry, at National Commission for Culture and the Arts. Ang Commission on Higher Education ay puwedeng mag-nominate ng kinatawan mula sa academe at ang Technical Education Skills Development Authority ay puwede ring mag-nominate ng kinatawan mula sa training institutions.

Sa panig ng private sector, pipili ng anim na kinatawan na nominado ng mga organisasyon ng book publishers, printers, writers, book industry related activities, students, at private education sector.

Ang Governing Board ay pumipili ng chair mula sa kanilang hanay. Ang kinatawan mula sa DepEd ang ex-officio vice chair. Ibig sabihin automatic na ikalawang pinuno ang kinatawan ng DepEd.

Ang Governing Board ang magpapatupad ng mga policy at layon ng batas. Sila rin ang bubuo ng mga programa para sa ikauunlad ng industriya ng paglilimbag ng libro.

Para maisakatuparan ang mga programa mula sa Governing Board, kailangan ng Secretariat na siyang magpapatupad o mag-e-execute ng mga plano. Ang Secretariat ay pinamumunuan ng Executive Officer. Katuwang niya sa pagpapatakbo ang Deputy Executive Officer. Ang dalawang opisyal ay appointed ng Pangulo ng Filipinas.

May kapangyarihan ang Executive Officer na magrekomenda sa Governing Board kung papaano oorganisahin ang Secretariat, bilang ng kawaning kailangan, ano ang function ng bawat kawani at division, pati na rin ang compensation plan para sa mga kawani. Siyempre kailangan pa ring aprubahan ng Governing Board ang rekomendasyon ng Executive Officer.

Inatasan din ng batas ang NBDB na bumuo ng mahahalagang dokumento tulad ng
National Book Policy, National Book Development Plan, at Implementing Rules and Regulations ng RA 8047. Kung ang batas ang DNA, ang mga dokumentong nabanggit ang mga organ para makatakbo nang maayos ang ahensiya.

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.