MANILAezjili, Philippines — A consumers’ group argued that bills seeking to block pirating websites would “prevent damage to the creative sector,” and pushed for the legislation still pending in the 19th Congress.

“The bills have languished in the Senate… even after their obvious advantages have been laid out by all the industry stakeholders being victimized by intellectual property violations,” Konsyumer at Mamamayan secretary-general Patrick Climaco said in a statement on Thursday.

“Only the passage of the consolidated bill will prevent further economic damage to the creative sector, which has already been bled dry by the billions by online pirates,” Climaco added.

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Senate Bill Nos. 2150 and 2385, along with House Bill No. 7600, aim to strengthen the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, including site-blocking provisions to combat piracy.

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The bills were filed by Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Revilla, both of whom were actors before entering politics.

The House of Representatives approved its bill in May 2023, but both Senate bills remain pending with the Committee on Trade, Commerce, and Entrepreneurship.

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READ: Think tank urges Senate to pass site-blocking bill to curb piracy

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Advocacy group CitizenWatch and international think tank Stratbase Institute have urged the Senate to pass the measure, citing piracy’s impact on the creative industry.

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“These (referring to pirates) are not your ordinary petty criminals operating on their own, and just for kicks… Such brazenness comes from impunity, with the sense that the enforcement of anti-piracy laws is weak and these criminals can get away with their deeds,” Climaco argued.

Konsyumer at Mamamayan cited a Media Partners Asia study showing that the Philippine entertainment industry lost P781 million to piracy in 2022.

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Climaco also raised cybersecurity concerns linked to piracy, citing a study by two Australian universities showing that Filipino consumers are nearly 30 times more likely to encounter malware on piracy websites.

READ: Filipino consumers who access piracy sites at great risk of cyber threats

“When you go to these sites offering pirated content, you give them access to your private information, your location, your search and usage history, and many other things contained in your device,” Climaco maintained.

READ: Urgent action needed vs online piracy as Congress session nears end

While the Marcos administration has been exerting efforts to attract more green power developments to the market, the sector may be dealing with some hitches as the projects are now “being processed for termination” due to the companies’ failure to meet committed timelines, the agency noted Sunday.

To recall, at the time the contract was terminated last August—four years after it was awarded—AllCard delivered 49.9 percent of its commitment to supply raw materials for the production of 116 million blank cards.

The 19th Congress will be adjourned from February 8 to June 1 for the 2025 national and local elections, which will determine the members of the next Congress.

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“Decisive legislative action is needed. We deserve no less from our honorable Senatorsezjili,” Climaco urged. “A day of delay already costs so much, what more indefinite inaction?”

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