THE rapid growth of the information communication and technology (ICT) and the business process outsourcing (BPO) sectors in Cebu has put the province under close scrutiny by anti-piracy groups.

One group, the Business Software Alliance (BSA), pointed out that the increasing number of computer shipments entering Cebu to supply the demand and expansion plans of companies here may not be accompanied with the necessary licenses that make the equipment fit and legal for business.

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“This will affect the (software) piracy rate in Cebu,” said Bienvenido Marquez III, BSA consultant for the Philippine committee and a BSA contracted representative.

The province is “within the radar” of the Pilipinas Anti-Piracy Team (PAPT), and is part of its intensive information and geological expansion campaign targeted at companies using unlicensed software. Other areas include North and South Luzon.

IT boom

“Cebu is fast becoming an IT (information technology) hub with big investments into IT facilities. With an IT boom, there is (possibility) of increase in piracy rate,” Marquez said.

Software piracy is the unauthorized copying or distribution of copyrighted software, which could be done through copying, downloading, sharing, selling or installing multiple copies into personal or work computers. It is considered a criminal act under the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines and the Optical Media Act.

BSA—a nonprofit trade association dedicated to promoting a safe and legal digital world—supports the effort of the PAPT that is comprised of the National Bureau of Investigation, the Optimal Media Board and the PNP.

The PAPT—under the campaign called, “Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late!”—tries to educate concerned sectors through letters to companies, telephone follow-ups, distribution of flyers at business centers and promotion of its website before holding raids against those that use unlicensed software.

Since it was organized in 2005, PAPT has conducted more than 120 raids against users and Internet cafés where P300 million worth of computers and software were seized.

BSA provides support through training for organizations, schools, companies, government agencies and individuals, like prosecutors, to increase awareness on piracy.

Citing figures from studies conducted by the International Data Corp. (IDC), Marquez said the piracy rate in the Philippines in 2007 was recorded at 69 percent—a slight decrease from 71 percent in 2006.

Meanwhile, the piracy rate in Asia Pacific was 59 percent in 2007, higher than North America (21 percent) and Western Europe (33 percent). Other regions with high piracy rate included Middle East and Africa (60 percent), Central and Eastern Europe (68 percent), and Latin America (65 percent).

According to the BSA website, regional differences in piracy could be caused by several factors, including the strength of intellectual property protection, the availability of pirated software, and cultural differences.

The group also observed that piracy may also increase as a result of new users with first-time small businesses even if the drive against piracy among large companies is successful.

Marquez urged users to consider their IT infrastructure, including software, as an asset by complying with the law.