I-Café: IP Seal campaign a money-making scheme

CEBU, Philippines - The national organization of Internet Café operators, the Pilipinas I-Café Consumer Cooperative has reiterated its position to ditch the offer of IP Coalition to have its members avail of an IP Seal, which promotes the use of genuine software and products.

“iCafe Pilipinas does not need to get the IP Seal since it does not serve a purpose it is just a way for a private organization to raise money for their own benefit,” said I-Cafe Pilipinas business manager Gener Luis Morada.

I-Cafe Pilipinas is the national advocacy organization representing the internet café owners and operators in the Philippines. Part of its advocacy is to bring to the attention of its stakeholders issues and programs that would greatly affect the manner in which they conduct the business.

“We are quite alarmed in the latest developments that are taking place with regards to which certain sectors in the IT industry (private organizations and government agencies) are conceptualizing and promoting programs that aims create an Intellectual Property Compliant Society in the Philippines. We believe that the conceptualization and promotions of these programs would not only have an effect on the internet cafe industry but also in the manner in which the whole IT industry in the Philippines conducts their businesses,” I-Café official statement said.

On the other hand, I-Café clarified that while it supports all actions of both private organizations and government agencies that would promote the protection of Intellectual Property Rights in the Philippines, the IP Seal campaign however is seen to have detrimental effects to the IT sector as a whole, especially to those that are largely using Free and Open Source Systems in their operations.

According to the Internet Café organization, there is a high probability that through the legal process the IP Coalition would be able to make the IP Seal of Excellence mandatory before any IT company would be able to register their business in the country. It would provide another layer of red tape that would greatly affect the ability of our IT firms to compete in the open market in terms of cost of doing business.

In a separate interview with IP Coalition secretary general Jun Rodriguez, he said that the group has already invited the I-Café Pilipinas to join the campaign, and that he hopes that members will be able to recognize the importance of having an IP Seal.

The IP Seal, which was launched in Cebu in May of this year, is a multi-dimensional program which is being launched for the very first time by IP Coalition to raise public awareness on IPR at the corporate (big business as well as small and medium-sized enterprises or SMEs), retail, Internet Café and consumer level through a heightened educational campaign that starts with awareness on software copyright.      

In its official statement distributed to the press during the launching, it said that that businesses across industries that are found to adhere to the country’s IPR laws will be due recognition through the awarding of the IP Seal of Excellence. The IP Seal of Excellence also qualifies the recipient tone-year immunity from software piracy enforcement initiated by the Business Software Alliance (BSA), subject to application terms and conditions.           

According Rodriguez, IP Seal campaign will be soon introduced in Metro Manila, and will recognize companies and establishments using genuine software and products.

In Cebu, there are about 10 companies and establishments which have been recognized by the IP Coalition, and were given IP Seal.

“The IP Seal represents a seal of approval and endorsement for companies from the IP community for being good corporate citizens that respect and adhere to the country’s IPR laws,” said Rodriguez. (THE FREEMAN)