OMB runs after music pirates, too

The crackdown on piracy benefits not only movie producers but also singers and record labels, according to Optical Media Board (OMB) chairman Ronnie Ricketts.

Ricketts received a plaque of appreciation “for exemplary leadership and contribution against piracy in the music industry” from the Philippine Association of the Recording Industry (PARI) during the recent 24th Awit Awards at the Music Museum in Greenhills, San Juan.

“I recently had a dialogue with a group of makers and suppliers of karaoke machines. Composers and producers are now able to receive royalties for their songs that are uploaded in those machines,” Ricketts told Inquirer. “’Di na ito pinapansin, but the OMB did this to make sure the artists’ rights are protected.”

(The Filipino Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers has been active in collecting performance rights royalties of songs—including those sung in karaoke bars—for its members and affiliated groups worldwide.–Ed.)

OMB launched a massive antipiracy operation in Manila in July 2011. “The success of the campaign had a domino effect. Manila has become the model city. Now more local government leaders are cooperating with us,” he said.

A lot of help

Ricketts also reported the successful clearing operation conducted in Marikina City on December 17. He added that vendors of pirated discs at the St. Francis Square Mall in Mandaluyong City were given orders to vacate the area by January 31.

Ricketts likewise said he was pleased that tenants of the Metrowalk Commercial Complex in Pasig City “are finally open to negotiate with us.”

He added that OMB has been getting a lot of help from members of a task force formed by Quezon City mayor Herbert Bautista in enforcing anti-piracy and anti-camcording laws in the city.

“It’s true that when we raid a particular area, illegal vendors leave. But they return after a few days. We rely on local enforcement groups to make sure that they don’t go back,” Ricketts said.

OMB conducts regular dialogues with vendors on alternative means of livelihood.

On January 12, the OMB chief is scheduled to meet with representatives of the United States Embassy, “who said they were very impressed and curious about how we did it.” Ricketts explained: “We don’t just enforce, we also educate. ’Di lang tira nang tira. We reach out to people affected by our operations.”

As part of his mission to educate the youth on the ill-effects of piracy, Ricketts is set to speak before a group of students at the De La Salle’s College of St. Benilde in Manila this month. He also plans to visit the campuses of Far Eastern University in Sampaloc and the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City, this quarter.

“We will begin our info campaign in the provinces this summer with trips to Bacolod, Iloilo and Cebu,” Ricketts said. Zamboanga and General Santos in Mindanao are also on the list, as well as Iriga and Batangas cities in Luzon. “We plan to put up regional offices like the one we set up recently in Gamu, Isabela,” he said.