Aquino government vows to strictly enforce the
intellectual property rights to fight piracy
The Aquino government is working harder to
strictly enforce the intellectual property rights (IPRs) in its quest to fight
against piracy and counterfeiting, Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr.
said.
"Government believes that stricter
intellectual property enforcement and raising the level of IP awareness in the
country through education are consistent with our overarching agenda to combat
organized and transnational crime," Ochoa said in his message to
organizers and participants of the 3rd Philippine Anti-Counterfeiting and
Piracy Summit held at the Marriot Manila Hotel on Monday.
Ochoa noted that the Intellectual Property
Office of the Philippines (IPOPHIL) has made significant progress in addressing
piracy and counterfeiting activities in the country with the record breaking
seizure of fake goods worth 6.13 billion pesos this year.
"The latest numbers from the IP Office
reveal that from January to September this year, the government seized pirated
and counterfeit goods worth 6.13 billion pesos, with the Bureau of Customs
contributing the most to this effort, as it seized 3.17 billion pesos-worth of
fake goods," Ochoa said.
"These encouraging figures are a result of
an intensified and continuous government campaign against piracy and
counterfeiting. In the first three quarters of the year, the multi-agency task
force National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights managed (NCIPR) to
conduct 1,812 inspections and issued 514 search warrants and 10 seizure
warrants," Ochoa stressed.
In 2012, Ochoa noted, the Philippines was
removed from the list of “Notorious Markets” for piracy and counterfeiting of
the United States Trade Representative (USTR) for 2013 after being on the list
for six years.
Ochoa said the government, through the IP
Office, is working hard to remove the Philippines from the Watch List of the
USTR for 2013.
Another breakthrough this year in the
government's efforts against piracy was the enactment of Republic Act No.
10372, which amends and updates the copyright laws in the Philippine
Intellectual Property Code.
"This bestows an enforcement mandate on the
Philippine IP Office, a first among the IP Offices in the whole of Southeast
Asia. This is expected to boost the IP enforcement programs of the
government," said Ochoa, adding that inter-government cooperation remains
the key element to succeed in its anti-piracy fight.
Ochoa said the NCIPR composed of the IP Office,
Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Justice, Department of the
Interior and Local Government, Bureau of Customs, National Telecommunications
Commission, National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine National Police,
Optical Media Board, National Book Development Board, and the Bureau of Food
and Drugs, must ensure that IPRs are protected and its violators will be
apprehended.
He emphasized the need for the concerned
government agencies to continue working together in increasing public awareness
about the ill-effects of piracy.
"What many of our people do not understand,
and what we must endeavor to inform our citizens of, is that the manufacture
and distribution of the counterfeit and pirated products are often linked to
organized crimes, with the sales from these reportedly being used to fund other
criminal activities, such as money laundering and illegal drugs," he said.
The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in a
report released in February this year, found that the shipments of fraudulent
pharmaceuticals in West Africa are being carried out by transnational organized
crime syndicates which are also engaged in cocaine trafficking and the
smuggling of migrants.
"The same link is also evident in the
Philippines and in Southeast Asia. According to the World Customs Organization,
around 75% of counterfeit products seized worldwide between 2008 and 2010 were
manufactured in East Asia, and primarily China," said Ochoa, citing the
UNODC report.
According to the report, the Philippines,
Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Vietnam are
cited as key East Asian departure points for counterfeit goods.
As much as 30% of medicines in parts of Asia,
Africa and Latin America could be fraudulent, the UNODC report said.
"This poses serious risks to the health of
the Filipino consumers as the counterfeit drugs are either less effective than
the real thing, or contain no active ingredients to address illness, or worse,
contain poisonous ingredients. It is in the context of these realities that
piracy has become one of the priority crime areas of the Philippine Center on
Transnational Crime, which houses INTERPOL Manila," Ochoa said, stressing
that government vows to make vigorous efforts to strictly enforce the IPRs.
"Rest assured that the Aquino Government
has and continues to take intellectual property rights violations seriously,
and will continue to be supportive of the education, capacity building and
enforcement initiatives of the IP Office and of the multi-agency task force on
the enforcement of IP, the NCIPR," he said. PND (js)
President Aquino sees press as guardian of
democracy, nation builder
President Benigno S. Aquino III said he expects
the media to continue protecting democracy and become part of nation building.
In a message during the Annual Presidential
Forum of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP), the
President asked the media to continue pursuing its journalistic ideals.
He said the government, media, and private
citizens have a never-ending task of protecting and advancing Philippine
democracy.
In the midst of so many issues that affects the
country today, the President said he expects journalist to be able to separate
important issues from the frivolous, the spin from the facts, and the lies from
the truth.
“I am confident that you will pursue the type of
journalism that those who came before us has fought for and at times died for.
The type of journalism that builds nations,” he said in his message during the
FOCAP forum at The Manila Hotel.
He likewise encouraged the press to continue
reporting what is important to the public just as he continue his endless
pursuit of giving Filipinos the government they deserve. The President expects
the media to become the bearers of truth that the people deserve.
The President also highlights the significance
of Wednesday’s FOCAP forum, which he said is a way to further strengthen the
relationship between the government and media.
Through such forum, he said he and his Cabinet
could gain greater feel of the pulse of the people and give rise to balanced,
informed reporting that works for the public’s interest.
FOCAP, which consists of international agencies,
publications, radio and television networks, is one of the country’s most
prestigious media organizations. It was founded in 1974 to safeguard press
freedom during martial law years under former president Ferdinand Marcos.
The presidential forum is an annual event of
FOCAP where the President discusses key policies, answer questions on foreign
affairs, politics, economy and other social issues. PND (as)
Government has many programs that will create
more jobs, says Aquino
The government is carrying out measures to
address joblessness in the country and attain inclusive growth, President
Benigno S. Aquino III said on Wednesday.
In an interview during his attendance to the
annual Presidential Forum of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the
Philippines (FOCAP), the President said his administration is to focused on
expanding the conditional cash transfer program, enhancing education and
tourism,as well as developing the country’s infrastructure.
He said that one of the proposals in the 2014
budget is to expand the CCT program to keep children in school and ensure safe
pregnancy of women.
Keeping children in high school creates economic
gains in the future, according to the President.
“Why are we insisting on this? The idea being
that there is a study by the Philippine Institute for Developmental Studies
that stated a direct correlation between finishing high school and having a 40
percent premium on income versus those who just graduate from grade school as
one of the steps towards inclusive growth,” he said.
The government also started active partnership
between the education sector and the industry, the President said. One example
is TESDA’s work-for-scholarship program, he said, noting TESDA’s graduates have
a higher percentage in having jobs in the BPO industry, in particular.
Another plan is revitalization, he said. For
instance, intercropping in the coconut industry, he said. The President noted
that when farmers adopt intercropping they could increase their income.
Developing the country’s tourism is also another
area, since the sector creates a multiplier effect in job generation, he said.
The government targets 5.5 million foreign tourist arrivals by this year, he
said.
“We want access to all of our tourist sites that
are much more efficient and more convenient,” the President said.
This is the reason why the government has been
investing in improving various airports, as well as the construction of new
airports.
He reported that finally, the government was
able to resolve all of the issues with regards to the connector road between
the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and South Luzon Expressway (SLEX).
“At the end of the day, we believe, people are
our greatest resource and all of the investments are geared towards giving them
the necessary skills so that they can take advantage of all the opportunities
that are in existing already, and are forthcoming in the horizon,” he said. PND
(as)
Aquino sees opportunities for the country once
ASEAN becomes a single block
Philippine industries can compete well with
other industries in the region when the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
adopts a single community by 2015, President Benigno S. Aquino III said on
Wednesday.
During the annual Presidential forum of the
Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP), the President
was asked how local industries could compete once the Philippines opens to the
rest of ASEAN in 2015.
“We have comparative advantages in certain
areas, for instance, car manufacturing, truck manufacturing or assembly, might
be better in certain areas within ASEAN but that doesn’t preclude us from
participating in terms of producing the necessary parts for all of these
vehicles. And there have been significant growth in that aspect,” he noted.
The President cited for instance, the B/E
Aerospace, a locator company engaged in airplane parts manufacturing. Its
Batangas plant is the first plant outside North America and Europe, he said,
noting the advantages of Filipino skills and talent.
Another competitive sector is the business
process outsourcing (BPO) sector, he said. Other countries are looking at the
efficiencies that they can gain by locating in the Philippines.
“I can go on and on about the list, the bottom
line is, we have comparative advantages that enable us to be a good player
within this ASEAN community and the bigger market redounds to more
opportunities for our people in their companies,” he said.
The President also mentioned that Mexico is
interested in working with the Philippines to have an access to ASEAN
particularly on trade and commerce given their close ties during the colonial
period.
President Aquino attended the 23rd ASEAN Summit
in Brunei this early month in preparation for the implementation of the regional
block's planned single community in 2015. PND (as)
Aquino says he’s confident of attaining 2013 Gross Domestict Product target
President Benigno S. Aquino III said he is
confident that his administration will meet its 2013 gross domestic product
(GDP) target given the current developments in the economy.
The President attended the annual Presidential
Forum of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) at
the Manila Hotel where he was asked about his expectations about the economy.
“Can I just say that we’re confident we’ll reach
our targets. But I will not be displeased if we surpass the targets,” the President
said when asked for comments.
Analysts expect the Philippine economy to grow
over seven percent this year, eclipsing the high end of the government’s
official 6-7 percent target. The country posted a strong 7.6-percent expansion
in the first half.
In September, the New York-based think tank
GlobalSource Partners and the Ayala-led Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI)
said the GDP growth would hit 7.2 percent this year, coming off a strong
7.6-percent expansion in the first half.
The country’s GDP expanded 7.5 percent in the
second quarter, matching China as the fastest-growing country in Asia,
sustaining the over seven percent pace for a fourth straight quarter. PND (as)
Aquino optimistic about MILF peace deal before
2016
President Benigno S. Aquino III said he is
confident that his administration could seal a peace pact with the Moro Islamic
Liberation Front (MILF) before he steps down from power in 2016.
Some issues have been raised about the current
pace of the peace negotiations with the MILF with some airing concerns about
the delay of the conclusion of the Framework Agreement.
But during the annual Presidential forum of the
FOCAP on Wednesday, President Aquino said that both parties acknowledged that
the annexes will have the most contentious issues to iron out. But he said the
talks are progressing.
“Of the four annexes, we’ve concluded
discussions on two. We have the remaining two. That doesn’t stop us from having
the Sajahatra program---I hope you’re familiar with that---and actually acting
on it and showing them the benefits of peace,” the President told the forum.
Although the government and the MILF were not
able to meet their targets, the President acknowledged that coming up with a
binding agreement takes time.
“Crafting the correct agreement that is livable
and doable by all will necessarily take time, and we are cognizant of that
fact. And better to have the good deal rather than to have any deal that is not
livable by all parties,” he said.
The Philippine government and the MILF, the
country’s largest rebel group, signed a landmark peace agreement on October
last year, which will give the rebels a larger share of power and wealth in a
new autonomous political region by 2016. Malaysia brokered the peace talks.
The peace deal is aimed at ending a
four-decade-old conflict that killed hundreds of thousands in Mindanao. PND
(as)
Aquino flies to Bohol to ease anxiety of
earthquake victims
President Benigno S. Aquino III said he was
flying to Bohol Wednesday afternoon to join people near the epicenter of the
quake to ease their anxiety on the possible dangers on the ground.
The President told the participants of 39th
Philippine Business Conference and Expo at the Manila Hotel that he won’t be
able to attend his intended appearance on Thursday because he will be in Bohol
Wednesday and Thursday.
“I’m scheduled to speak before you tomorrow but
unfortunately there is an issue that I have to address in Bohol. As you know, a
lot of our countrymen are still, shall I say, unsettled because the aftershocks
will be continuing for about two to three weeks,” the President said in his
message.
He said he received text messages from the
residents in Bohol fearing that there are impending dangers that are still
lurking. He said easing the anxiety of the people in Bohol is a very high
priority at this point.
He will be in Bohol Wednesday afternoon and will
stay overnight in the most hard-hit area and to tell the people to believe the
PHIVOLCS and the Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau statements that said major
danger has already lapsed or has already passed.
“And I believe it is my duty to be with them at
this point in time because the unnecessary anxiety is creating far more
problems for the community that I think as President I should be at the
rescue,” he said.
At the same time, the President said he will
also assess the efficiency of government’s relief efforts and tell the people
about the government’s initiatives to rebuild damaged infrastructures in the
province.
“I thank you on behalf of our countrymen. I wish
you success in all of your endeavors and as always we pledge government support
for all of the worthwhile and noble intentions to the full uplifting a lot of
our countrymen,” the President said. PND (as)
President Aquino returns to Bohol to get updates
on the rehabilitation and relief efforts
(LOON, Bohol) President Benigno S. Aquino III
visited anew the province to check on the progress of the rehabilitation and
relief operations for the various municipalities that were devastated by
magnitude 7.2 earthquake last October 15.
At 3:10 p.m. Wednesday, the Chief Executive left
for Bohol to visit Tagbilaran City and the municipalities of Loon, Tubigon and
Sagbayan.
After landing in Tagbilaran airport, President
Aquino was welcomed by Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto and other local officials.
The President first visited Loon South Central
School which serves as one of the evacuation centers for displaced residents of
Loon and nearby municipalities. At the school grounds, President Aquino led the
distribution of relief goods to some 166 affected families.
He then proceeded to the site of Our Lady of
Light Parish which was totally devastated by the earthquake. The President also
distributed relief goods to affected families who were temporarily staying at
the evacuation center in front of the parish.
President Aquino also checked on the buildings
of the public market and the Congressman Natalio P. Castillo Sr. Memorial Hospital
before proceeding to the Loon Municipal Hall where he was briefed by officials
from the national government and local government units on the progress of the
rehabiliation and relief operations in the province.
Joining the President at the Loon Municipal Hall
were Defense Secretary and National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
Council (NDRRMC) Chairman Voltaire Gazmin, Public Works and Highways Secretary
Rogelio Singson Jr., Social Worker and Development Secretary Corazon Soliman,
and other officials of concerned government agencies and local government
units.
The President assured the Bohol residents that
the government has P20 billion savings to fund the rehabilitation and relief
efforts for the residents. He said the government has already distributed
163,000 food packs for the affected families in the province.
"Narito ako para damayan kayo. Huwag kayo
matakot. Ngayon gabi nga ay dito kami matutulog," he said.
The President decided to stay over night in
Loon.
On Thursday, President Aquino is scheduled to
visit the municipalities of Tubigon and Sagbayan that were also severely
affected by the earthquake.
Classes are still suspended in the province
because of the occurrence of aftershocks.
The Department of Public Works and Highways
deployed personnel in Bohol to conduct evaluation on the structural soundness
of all affected areas. The DPWH-V had coordinated with District Engineering
Offices regarding the effects of earthquake in Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor, Negros
Oriental, Iloilo and other areas.
The DPWH personnel are also conducting
assessment of damaged roads, bridges and buildings in Bohol while engineering
teams are currently conducting repair of damaged roads and finding passable
detour roads in the province.
Last October 16, the President flew to the
provinces of Bohol and Cebu to assess the extent of damages brought by the
earthquake. He also directed the officials to firm up strategies to minimize
the impact of the earthquake to the communities.
A state of calamity has been declared by the
government in Cebu and Bohol provinces.
The President directed his officials to
immediately restore the living conditions of the affected residents. PND (js)
