OMB DIRECTOR Ricketts puts up his dukes.
Optical Media Board (OMB) chair Ronnie Ricketts said he regretted but understood actor Cesar Montano’s decision to decline a Malacañang appointment as an OMB official.
Montano was to replace violinist John Lesaca as a board member in the antipiracy group. Lesaca’s term expired when he ran for Quezon City councilor in 2010.
“Cesar’s concern was that he wouldn’t have enough time for OMB,” Ricketts told Inquirer. “I understand him completely. This job is no joke, and he was well aware of that. He would have been a big help to the board, especially now that we are going full-blast in our antipiracy campaign.”
Battle cry
Ricketts recently spoke before students of St. Paul University Quezon City, De La Salle College of St. Benilde, Technological University of the Philippines, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Lyceum University and University of Santo Tomas in Manila, on the ill effects of piracy.
“Walang magbebenta kung walang bibili (No one will sell if no one will buy),” the OMB chief reiterated his battle cry. He said some of the students offered their own suggestions on curbing piracy.
“They asked if it was possible to lower movie ticket prices; P150 to P180 puts so much strain on their budget, compared to pirated DVDs that cost P50,” Ricketts said.
He said he forwarded the suggestion to the stakeholders during their recent quarterly meeting.
Good news
CESAR Montano
Ricketts also said he recently received a copy of a special report from the International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA) that said the Philippines, from a “priority watch” listing, has now been downgraded to “watch list.”
Some 22 countries in the “watch list” category include Italy, Greece, Switzerland, Brazil, Egypt, Vietnam and Malaysia.
In a special report released in February, the IIPA said it was “heartened” to hear that a new and, apparently, more effective policy toward street and mall piracy was implemented in the Philippines in 2011.
Ripple effect
The report said: “The effects of the closure of the market and distribution hub in the Quiapo district rippled throughout the community. It demonstrated that with the credible threat of enforcement, piracy can be reduced. The OMB and Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim should be commended for their unprecedented enforcement actions. Other city leaders in Metro Manila have indicated they would like to follow their example.”
Piracy-free
Ricketts said the antipiracy drive has turned commercial establishments like Harrison Plaza in Malate, Makati Cinema Square in Makati, and St. Francis Mall in Mandaluyong, into piracy-free zones. “The agency is currently coordinating with the management of Metrowalk Commercial Complex in Pasig City to seek help for the cleanup,” he said.
The OMB chief added that he was also helping to bring performers for Harrison Plaza’s relaunch on April 8. “This is not part of my job but I’m going out of my way to help. I am also talking to the mall owners and administrators about the possibility of putting up stalls carrying original DVDs. This is one way of ensuring that malls do not resort to selling bootleg material again.”
(E-mail mcruz@inquirer.com.ph)