|
Friday, February 17, 2006
Arroyo welcomes RP's exclusion from US list on piracy
MANILA -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said Thursday she appreciates the removal of the Philippines from the US watch list on intellectual property rights violations.
Arroyo, during roundtable discussions Thursday night in Malacañang, said the five convictions pertaining to violations of intellectual property rights helped in the country's removal from the list.
She said the next move is for the establishment of a special intellectual property rights courts to ensure continued conviction and faster resolution of cases.
"This is in recognition of our efforts to stop commercial piracy, an illegal trade of products that are imitated without the consent of those who had originally created it," she said.
The President renewed calls for the public to continue supporting the government's anti-piracy campaign noting that while they may be able to save money from buying pirated products from compact discs (CDs), video compact discs (VCDs), digital video discs (DVDs), business software, play stations, and even clothes, stuff toys, and other products, it does not do anything good for the country.
She said that instead of selling pirated items, she encourages businessmen to sell pearls as they are original and a product of the country.
Adrian Cristobal Jr. of the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) said with the downgrade from the US, they are hoping that software developers would now come and invest in the country.
Cristobal said the investors earlier said they just need to see a 10-percent reduction in the piracy problem to be able to bring in some US$325 million worth of investment, which would also mean jobs for about 2,000 Filipinos. (JMR/Sunnex)
(February 17, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
Mayor to Asian Institute of Management: Explain ratings