IP use by political campaigns could reveal candidates’ integrity, IPOPHL says

THE Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) said the use or misuse of intellectual property (IP) by political campaigns should reveal to voters whether candidates can act with integrity.

“Candidates’ respect for IP rights is a litmus test of their integrity and trustworthiness as future public servants,” IPOPHL Director General Rowel S. Barba said. 

“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,” he added.

IPOPHL said that candidates have enough time to seek permission from artists “before transforming their works into catchy campaign jingles, slogans, and merchandise to build their political brand.”

The campaign period officially starts next week.

Mr. Barba said that non-compliance may result copyright infringement lawsuits.

IPOPHL Bureau of Copyright and Related Rights Director Emerson G. Cuyo said that the candidates may contact accredited collective management organizations (CMOs) to secure the licenses for the transformation and public performance of works.

“(CMOs) 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,” he added. — Justine Irish D. Tabile