Philippines online piracy at 70%, second highest in APAC: YouGov Survey

A new survey reveals a significant rise in online piracy in the Philippines, stressing the need for stronger enforcement against intellectual property violations.

According to the YouGov survey commissioned by the Asia Video Industry Association’s (AVIA) Coalition Against Piracy (CAP), 70% of Filipinos reported consuming pirated content via online streaming this year, an increase from 58% in 2023.

This makes the Philippines the second-highest in piracy consumption in the Asia Pacific, trailing only Vietnam at 71%.

Despite 92% of respondents acknowledging the negative impacts of piracy, such as malware risks and damage to local industries, the availability of free content continues to drive high piracy rates.

Globe, a strong advocate for intellectual property protection, emphasized the urgent need to bolster anti-piracy efforts, particularly through legislative measures for site blocking.

“This worrying trend highlights the urgency of strengthening enforcement against piracy, which can be done through amending the Intellectual Property Code to enable site blocking. We believe this will go a long way in curbing content piracy, which will in turn support the creative industry and protect our customers from the dangers posed by pirated content,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe’s Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer.

Globe supports Senate bills that aim to enhance the Philippines’ Intellectual Property Code, especially provisions for site-blocking measures.

These measures are seen as crucial in protecting content creators’ livelihoods and safeguarding consumers from the risks of pirated content.

As a signatory to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) and other ISPs, Globe is part of a pioneering site-blocking mechanism against pirate sites, the first of its kind in Asia.

These efforts align with Globe’s ongoing #PlayItRight campaign, which raises public awareness and advocates for stronger IP protection to support the P1.6-trillion creative industry and safeguard consumers from piracy.