AN ADVOCACY group has decried the delay in the passage of a law intensifying the drive against online pirates “who have been stealing from the Philippine creatives industry, depriving creative workers of just rewards, and exposing our people to cyberthreats.”
“No less than the President has certified the Online Site Blocking Act as a priority,” said CitizenWatch co-convenor, lawyer, and former lawmaker Kit Belmonte.
“I do not understand the inertia of the Senate when it comes to bills like this that truly matter in people’s everyday lives,” Belmonte said.
The bill seeks to amend the Intellectual Property Code and to give the government, through the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) and internet service providers (ISPs), greater powers to curb the rampant illegal streaming of copyrighted content, he added.
The House of Representatives has passed Bill 7600 authored by Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda.
The advocacy group deplored however, that the Senate has been hesitant to act on counterpart measures, Senate Bill 2150 authored by Senator Jinggoy Estrada and Senate Bill 2385 by Senator Ramon Revilla Jr.
“In fact, the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce, and Entrepreneurship chaired by Senator Mark Villar has not even had a single hearing to discuss the merits of the proposed law,” the group noted.