Combined licensing proceeds and the amount of seized pirated materials have reached over P1.15 billion in 2016 from just P557.5 million in 2016, the Optical Media Board reported Monday.
OMB chairman and chief executive Anselmo Adriano said in a briefing the agency intensified monitoring efforts, especially in the provinces where the sale of pirated DVD movies remained rampant.
“Many would think that since most people are using the web to watch or download pirated movies and music, there will be a slowdown in the sale of pirated DVDs. But in the provinces where there is less monitoring, piracy is still a big problem of the government,” he said.
He said OMB seized more than 500 sacks of fake DVDs worth over P70 million in General Santos City alone.
The Quiapo district in Manila, however, remains the single biggest area where fake DVDs are sold. In 2016, the OMB seized about 1,000 sacks of pirated DVDs on music and movies and other forms of media, like software, games and gaming applications, ebooks and audio books.
“We are now in the process of reviewing our charter so we can include other forms of digital content in our mandate. We will file this amendment to RA 9239, which is an act regulating optical media. We hope to cover the gap in digital monitoring,” Adriano said.
The agency will convince Senator Bam Aquino and Rep. Eric Olivarez to endorse the bill.
The agency aims to seize about P100 million worth of pirated materials.
The OMB and the Trade Department, meanwhile, signed Monday a partnership agreement to extend services to the provinces through the department’s Negosyo Centers in Metro Cebu and Metro Davao.
Clients in Cebu and Davao will no longer required to go Manila to have their permits and licenses approved.
The OMB is also looking at establishing linkages in Bacolod and Baguio City for clients through the Negosyo Centers.
Trade Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya said the government wanted OMB’s presence in the provinces.
“This is for the good of business and consumers and to make people more aware of the registration processes with the OMB. Consider this as another option to promote business,” she said.