Ayala Foundation, FILCOLS celebrate Philippine Book Development Month 2016

The Filipinas Copyright Licensing Society, Inc. (FILCOLS) and Ayala Foundation will celebrate Philippine Book Development Month 2016 with a simple event from 1 to 4 p.m. on Friday, 25 November at the Ground Floor Lobby, Ayala Museum, Makati City.

“FILCOLS Distribution for Rightsholders and Partnership with Ayala Foundation” will signal the start of distribution of remuneration for authors, heirs of authors, and publishers. The bulk of the license fees collected by FILCOLS were from the Department of Education (DepEd) for the re-use of Filipino works in the learning resources for Grades 2, 3, 8, and 9. 

Recognizing the need to support Filipino authors and other copyright owners, Ayala Foundation, a revered name among corporate foundations, will sign a licensing agreement with FILCOLS for the secondary use of works through mass digital and photocopying inside the Filipinas Heritage Library and the Ayala Museum. A small license fee will be paid on a two-year period which will then be distributed to righstholders after deducting FILCOLS’s administration costs.

Established in 1961 and renamed in 1990, Ayala Foundation is the social development arm of the Ayala Corporation. Committed to improve the lives of Filipinos, Ayala Foundation embarked on innovative programs for education, leadership, livelihood, arts, and culture.

FILCOLS is the government accredited collective management organization (CMO) in the text and image sector. FILCOLS supports the publishing industry by licensing the secondary use of copyrighted works for mass uses inside institutions.

Aside from the license fees collected from DepEd, FILCOLS will also distribute remuneration it received from its sister societies abroad. Australia’s Copyright Agency-Viscopy and the Copyright Licensing and Administration Society of Singapore (CLASS) remitted to FILCOLS, on various dates, remuneration for Filipino works used by their licensees. 

Under Australian and Singaporean copyright law, institutions must pay license fees for the re-use, through large-scale digital and photocopying, of books, journals, newspapers, and websites. Under these institutions are schools, universities, technical vocational (tech-voc) or polytechnic, businesses, government, and other organizations.

FILCOLS was established in 2008 by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, National Book Development Board, Book Development Association of the Philippines, and the Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas. Its founding chair was National Artist for Literature Virgilio S. Almario.

FILCOLS is currently headed by its chair Dr. Jose Y. Dalisay, Jr. Other Trustees are Ricky Lee, Karina Bolasco, Beverly Siy, Dr. Rebecca Anonuevo, Dr. John Jack Wigley, Marne Kilates, and Jose Paolo Sibal. The Secretariat is led by executive director Alvin J. Buenaventura.

Text and photos by Alvin J. Buenaventura. This may be re-posted as long as the author is acknowledged.

More than 58 percent of car parts bought online are fake, says UK expert

Kick-off activity at the start of the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Week: 6th Philippine Anti-Counterfeiting and Piracy Summit at the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel, Mandaluyong City. (Photo by AJB)

Substandard car parts contribute to accidents and loss of lives in the United Kingdom as David Lowe revealed that 58% of materials bought online are fake. 

The counterfeit car parts cost the UK automotive industry GBP 28 billion (PHP 1.6 trillion). The cost does not include the loss of lives and damages as a result of use of defective car parts.

David Lowe is the head of the Intellectual Property (IP) Enforcement Capacity and Delivery of the UK Intellectual Property Office. He is one of the resource persons invited by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) to grace its IPR Week celebrations which started with the 6^th Philippine Anti-Counterfeiting and Piracy Summit at the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel, Mandaluyong City on October 24, 2016.

Lowe added that the UK publishing industry also suffered as more than 100 million magazines were illegally downloaded in 2014. 

With the summit’s theme “Advocating IPR Protection and Enforcement in Governance,” IPOPHL Director General Josephine R. Santiago reported on the gains, challenges, and plans for IPR in the Philippines.

Director General Santiago highlighted the 4% growth in the filing of IP cases from 526 (2013) to 643 (2015). She also noted the 2% growth in resolved cases from 510 (2013) to 551 (2015).

The detailed IPR Action Plan 2017-2022 was presented by IPOPHL Deputy Director General Allan B. Gepty. He pointed on the need to intensify IP education in the country.

Gepty explained that aside from the IPOPHL-backed Young IP Advocates (YIPA), the agency will spearhead the expansion of IP advocates in schools and universities. These students will be included in the regular trainings and seminars on IP.

He mentioned that a policy must be made to require schools and universities to include IPR education and awareness in their curricula. The policy must be crafted by the Department of Education (DepEd) which oversees basic education and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) for colleges and universities.

Director Carmen G. Peralta of IPOPHL’s Documentation, Information and Technology Transfer Bureau presented the highlights of the 4^th IP Youth Camp held in Davao City. 

To date, YIPA has inducted 85 secondary school students in its membership. The total network of schools nationwide is 27. 

Delegates from various public and private sector organizations. (l-r) two officials from the Bureau of Customs, Civil Service Commission director Ariel Villanueva and companion, Alvin J. Buenaventura, Ranielle S. Espiridion, and four officials from the Quezon City Hall. (Photo by IPOPHL staff).

In support of the IPOPHL’s IPR Week celebrations, the Filipinas Copyright Licensing Society, Inc. (FILCOLS) Executive Director AlvinJ. Buenaventura and Staff Ranielle S. Espiridion participated as delegates to the summit.

FILCOLS is the second collective management organization (CMO) accredited by the IPOPHL in 2014. The accreditation of CMOs was included in the amendments (RA 10372) to the IP Code which was enacted by then President Benigno S. Aquino in 2013.

 Text by Alvin J. Buenaventura. Photos by Alvin J. Buenaventura and IPOPHL staff Richmond A. De Leon. This may be re-posted as long as the authors are acknowledged.

Tackling challenges head on at the PH Education Summit 2016

“Should K-12 be supported or opposed?” “How can the government provide learning resources when there is a shortage of classrooms, a number of which are damaged during typhoons?” “How can the education department raise teaching standards when teachers get measly salaries and many opt to work abroad instead?” “What should universities do to join the ranks of top-ranking higher educational institutions?” These are some of the issues that need to be raised in the Philippine Education Summit 2016 which started today November 3 at the SMX, Mall of Asia, Pasay City.

Education stakeholders gather at the start of the Philippine Education Summit 2016. (Photo by AJB)

It took a long time for the Philippines to adjust its basic education to the globally practiced K-12. The Philippines clung to K-10 until the passing of the 2013 Enhanced Basic Education Act (RA 10533). 

The new law however did not end the debate. Anti-K-12 proponents presented various petitions to the Supreme Court. Some of the reasons presented were: K-12 is anti-poor, unconstitutional, anti-labor,unpatriotic, and anti-Filipino. The petitioners were not deterred despite the fact that the Philippines is the only country in Asia to have K-10 and until recently was part of the old company with African countries Angola and Djibouti.

In March 2016, the Supreme Court rejected various petitions against K-12. Aside from the controversial K-12, the Philippine Education Summit 2016 will also look at the various issues facing technical-vocational (tech-voc) and higher education.

Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno. (Photo by AJB)

The main problem of the education agencies over the years has been the lack of money. 

In his opening remarks, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno presented a different picture and said “Our problem is we may not be able to spend all the money before the term of President Duterte ends.” He added that the Philippine budget for 2017 is PHP 3.35 trillion (USD 67.7 billion). This means the budget will steadily rise for the next six years. He assured the participants that the current administration fully supports education.

FILCOLS executive director Alvin J. Buenaventura with DepEd's Cynthia Villafranca.
(Photo by DepEd's Joergette Razielle M. Regadio)

The two-day event brought under one roof 500 selected education stakeholders from all over the Philippines. FILCOLS executive director Alvin J. Buenaventura was one of the stakeholders invited to the education summit. FILCOLS is the government-accredited collective management organization (CMO) for printed works.

Various government agencies participated in the summit. (Photo by AJB)

The Philippine Education Summit 2016 was jointly convened by the country’s top education agencies: Department of Education (DepEd) which handles basic education and alternative learning systems (ALS), CHED which handles HEIs including SUCs, and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) which handles technical-vocational (tech-voc) education. Support was provided by the Australian Aid – Basic Education Sector Transformation (BEST).

Text by Alvin J. Buenaventura.  Photos by AJB and Joergette Razielle M. Regadio. Text and photos may be re-posted as long as the authors are acknowledged.

DepEd seminar on the development of Grades 2 and 8 learning resources

In a move to equip publishers with better understanding of copyright, the Philippines' Department of Education recently conducted a two-day orientation-seminar at the DepEd headquarters in Pasig City.

Alvin J. Buenaventura discussed "Secondary Use of Copyrighted Works from the Internet" before officers of the education department and 52 representatives from 28 publishing houses.

Buenaventura before DepEd officials and private sector publishers. (Photo by DepEd staff).

Buenaventura is the Executive Director of the the Filipinas Copyright Licensing Society, Inc., the collective management organization in the text and image sector operating in the Philippines. FILCOLS licenses the re-use of copyrighted printed materials of its member-authors and publishers.

Due to the urgent need to provide learning materials for the government's then new K to 12 program, the DepEd signed a license agreement with FILCOLS in 2013 so it can include poems, stories, comics, and other works for the Grade 1 and 7 Teachers' Guides and Learners' Materials.

Buenaventura explained how a CMO like FILCOLS operates. And provided a picture of how other CMOs cooperate through the International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organizations (IFRRO), the world's umbrella organization for CMOs, authors' and publishers' associations.

Buenaventura emphasized the need to respect the rights of authors. (Photo by DepEd staf).

He also stressed that the default mode of every one when it comes to works on the internet is that they have copyright. Texts, images, and music found online should be respected and not just used without asking permission from the copyright owner.

Unless the website expressly states that their content may be used freely, everyone should remember that copyright extends online.

Atty. Louie Andrew Calvario of the Intellectual Property Office of the Phiippines (IPOPHL) discussed "Copyright Issues and Concerns" prior to Buenaventura's presentation.

The event was organized by the Bureau of Learning Resources led by Dr. Edel B. Carag and Dr. Dina S. Ocampo, DepEd's undersecretary for curriculum and instruction.

The seminar mainly aims to help publishing houses get a clear picture of the "standards, specifications, evaluation and procurement procedures" of the DepEd to help them produce learning resources for the public schools.

Click here to view the Program of Activities

FILCOLS hosts IFRRO Asia Pacific Committee regional meet

 

IFRRO Asia Pacific Committee members. Photo by Ronald Verzo.

FILCOLS hosts IFRRO Asia Pacific Committee regional meet

The Filipinas Copyright Licensing Society, Inc. (FILCOLS) hosted the Asia Pacific Committee (APC) regional gathering of the International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organizations (IFRRO) at the Manila Diamond Hotel on September 18.

Led by IFRRO chief executive officer Olav Stokkmo, the APC meeting also featured a seminar on transparency, accountability, and good governance for collective management organizations (CMO) in line with the current direction from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

IFRRO CEO Olav Stokkmo introduced the panel discussion on education licensing. 
Photo by Ronald Verzo.

Stokkmo said, “CMOs are generally asked to demonstrate transparency, accountability, and good governance in its day-to-day operations.”

APC chair Caroline Morgan presented the National Report for the Copyright Agency - Viscopy (CA) where she highlighted their campaigns Reading Australia and Copyright.

Caroline Morgan presented the Australian national report before members of the APC.
Photo by Ronald Verzo.

General Counsel Karen Pitt presented the CA board structure, tenure, and profile. She focused on the importance of having independent directors to provide balance and settle issues internally free from interest.

Copyright Agency general counsel Karen Pitt.
Photo by Ronald Verzo.

Book Development Association of the Philippines (BDAP) president Lirio P. Sandoval attended the opening of the APC seminar together with Anvil publishing manager Karina Bolasco.

Sandoval, one of the founders of FILCOLS and its current treasurer, said "The BDAP will support FILCOLS as long as necessary." He also thanked Stokkmo for never giving up on the idea of establishing a CMO in the Philippines since the early 2000s.

BDAP president Lirio P. Sandoval (seated) during the presentation of
FILCOLS executive director Alvin J. Buenaventura.
Photo by Ronald Verzo.

Bolasco, one of the founding board members of FILCOLS and its current vice chair, expressed gratitude for the help of Australians Morgan and Pitt, and Paul Wee of the Copyright Licensing and Administration Society of Singapore (CLASS). They conducted many seminars in the country together with Stokkmo to encourage authors and publishers to set up a CMO.

Karina Bolasco (seated) and Karen Pitt at the opening of the APC seminar.
Photo by Ronald Verzo.

Bolasco also thanked Michael Healy, international relations chief of the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC), for providing support to FILCOLS executive director Alvin J. Buenaventura and licensing officer Napoleon G. Almonte via the International Advancement Program (IAP) held at the CCC headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts.

(L-R) CCC's Michael Healy, Copyright Licensing New Zealand CEO Paula Browning, and CLASS's Paul Wee.
Photo by Ronald Verzo.

IAP aims to support emerging CMOs in the publishing sector through operational and technical support, marketing, and educational tools. FILCOLS was the first CMO to benefit from this program.

Months prior to the event, Morgan coordinated with Buenaventura to arrange details on the ground like venue selection and reservation, provision of support staff and equipment, among others.

The APC meeting and seminar coincided with the international event Copy & Repro which is one of the highlights of the 35^th Manila International Book Fair to be held on September 19 at the SMX, Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

The APC is made up of CMOs from Australia, China, Faroe Islands, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Viet Nam.

The authors allow the reposting of the unaltered article along with photos provided the following is included at the end:

Text by Alvin J. Buenaventura. Photos by Ronald Verzo. For more information, please visit http://filcols.blogspot.com

 

 

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.