The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (“IPOPHL”) issued on 19 October 2021 Memorandum Circular No. 2021-025 which is an Advisory on Unaccredited Collective Management Organizations (CMOs) (“Advisory”).
CMOs are organizations that exercise and enforce copyright or related rights on behalf of its members. The functions of the CMOs include negotiating and granting licenses to users of protected literary, artistic and scientific works; and collecting and distributing royalties and other forms of remuneration to its members who are right-holders.
The Advisory informs the public that certain entities or groups are operating as CMOs in the Philippines without the requisite accreditation from the IPOPHL – Bureau of Copyright and other Related Rights (“IPOPHL-BCRR”) and encourages the public to report to the IPOPHL-BCRR through its email address [email protected] any information regarding the illegal operations of unaccredited CMOs.
Based on the Advisory, only the following CMOs have been duly accredited by IPOPHL:
1. Filipinas Copyright Licensing Society, Inc. (FILCOLS);
2. Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, Inc. (FILSCAP);
3. Independent Music Producers of the Philippines (IMPRO);
4. Performers Rights Society of the Philippines (PRSP); and
5. Philippine Recorded Music Rights, Inc. (PRM).
The Advisory thus enjoins those operating or intending to operate as CMOs to apply for accreditation with the IPOPHL-BCRR.
For questions on this and other intellectual property matters, please contact us at: [email protected].