IPOPHL Reminds 2025 Election Candidates To Respect IP Rights

The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) has called on aspiring public servants running for the 2025 elections to respect intellectual property (IP) rights as they prepare for their promotional materials.

While the campaign period starts next year, IPOPHL said it is making this early reminder for candidates to allot enough time to properly seek permission from artists before transforming their works into catchy campaign jingles, slogans and merchandise items to build their political brand.

“Candidates’ respect for intellectual property (IP) rights is a litmus test of their integrity and trustworthiness as future public servants. I don’t think any voter would like to see any copyright owner and artist, especially their favorite artists, deprived of their right to have a say on the use of their work for a political campaign,” IPOPHL Director General Rowel S. Barba said.

Barba added that political candidates may face not only public backlash that could derail their chances for their vied positions but also a copyright infringement lawsuit.

Under Section 173 of Republic Act 8293 or the IP Code of 1997, derivative works are defined as new work that do not violate any subsisting copyright upon the original work employed or any part thereof.

Bureau of Copyright and Related Rights (BCRR) Director Emerson G. Cuyo encouraged political candidates and parties to contact IPOPHL-accredited collective management organizations (CMOs) to secure the right licenses for the transformation and public performance of works.

CMOs such as the Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, Inc. (FILSCAP), Philippines Recorded Music Rights Inc. (PRM), Independent Music Producers of the Philippines (IMPRO) and Sounds Recording Rights Society, Inc. (SRRS) could help facilitate negotiations and licensing arrangements for the transformation, use or public performance of songs and music, which are the most common types of copyrighted work transformed for local political campaigns.

Protecting rhythm and rights 

Cuyo also encouraged music artists to join IPOPHL’s 2nd Philippine-International Copyright Summit (PICS) happening this October 21 to 25, emphasizing its importance for safeguarding their music and compositions in an increasingly complex digital landscape.

“On October 22, particularly, there will be sessions specifically designed to empower composers and music artists. We want them to learn the local and global music trends, the legal frameworks that protect their IP rights and the first-hand experiences of artists with copyright protection. We will also feature industry leaders discussing the implications of generative artificial intelligence on creative works,” Cuyo said.

Participants will also have the opportunity to engage in a hands-on workshop focused on the creative process of writing a composition, allowing them to refine their craft while also understanding the importance of protecting their IP rights.

IPOPHL’s Barba hopes that the 2nd PICS’ sessions “will equip artists with the robust knowledge that will enable them to address infringement concerns swiftly, both during election periods and beyond.” (Janina Lim/ IPOPHL Information Officer III)