Globe Telecom Inc., a leading digital solutions platform, on Thursday lauded the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) for addressing the proliferation of illegal streaming devices in the market.
“We commend IPOPHL for taking proactive steps to crack down on illegal streaming devices. As a company committed to promoting innovation and creativity, we fully support efforts to protect intellectual property rights and combat digital piracy,” Globe Group chief sustainability and corporate communications officer Yoly Crisanto said.
“By working together with regulatory authorities, we can safeguard the interests of content creators and ensure a fair and competitive digital environment,” she said.
Globe has been pushing for stronger intellectual property protection in the Philippines, supporting legislation that seeks to amend the 26-year-old Intellectual Property Code to allow site blocking.
IPOPHL director-general Rowel Barba recently said the agency was working with the National Telecommunications Commission to see how to enforce a local crackdown on illegal streaming devices, also called blackboxes, in the absence of a law governing this crime.
This follows a campaign initiated by United States authorities against these illegal devices, which allow users to access copyrighted content illegally through a one-time payment. Similar to piracy, this illicit activity poses a significant threat to content creators and distributors.
Globe has been at the forefront of the fight against digital piracy through its PlayRight campaign, which aims to educate the public about the importance of consuming content from legitimate sources and respecting intellectual property rights.
The campaign emphasizes the negative impact of piracy on the creative industry, including job and revenue loss among creatives.