Piracy

For quite some time, the Philippines has been part of the Priority Watch List of the US government for being one of the countries which offer inadequate and inefficient IPR protection. Though we have been lifted from the infamous list recently, the problem of piracy continues to pervade our society. To this date, there is an open peddling of bootleg discs of movies, music, and software on thoroughfares, sidewalks, and even malls.

Though there has been a sincere effort on the part of the government to curb IPR infractions, these may prove to be no more than temporary salves to a recurring problem. Piracy continues to lure many people because of its main selling point --- its low price. It is little wonder that many people find themselves drawn to opt for the pirated and counterfeit versions, considering that these can be bought at a fraction of the price of the original. While considerations other than price should also counsel caution, appeals to the public that buying and patronizing pirated products is a crime generally fall on deaf ears simply because the crime of piracy seems to have been disturbingly institutionalized in Filipino culture.

Perhaps it is high time for the government to consider framing a competitive pricing system for original software, movies and music so that people may be drawn to buy the original. Pegging the price of knowledge, information and entertainment too high would be tantamount to curtailing the free flow of ideas in the market.

The reasoning may be flawed, but it nevertheless persuades.