TFC partners with OMB for global anti-piracy campaign

MANILA, Philippines - “Piracy is wrong.” There is no ifs and buts about it. Philippine Optical Media Board (OMB) chair Ronnie Ricketts explained it in simple terms: “Since we were students, we’ve been taught not to copy what is not ours — quiz and homework answers, ideas, projects and the like. That is essentially what piracy is — copying what is not yours. In school, we call that cheating. In life, we call it stealing. It is plainly and simply morally wrong. It also happens to be illegal.”

Hence, OMB recently partnered with The Filipino Channel (TFC) for an awareness campaign on anti-piracy. Aligning with Ricketts’ battlecry of Bawal Kumopya (literally translated as copying is prohibited), TFC tapped the cast members of Walang Hanggan, who gave time for the production of Bawal Kumopya public service announcement. Coco Martin, Richard Gomez, Dawn Zulueta, Julia Montes, Paulo Avelino and Joem Bascon joined hands in a united front for the war against piracy.

Dawn Zulueta and Paulo Avelino

The public service announcement was launched at the One Kapamilya Go sa California’s Great America held last Sept. 16. Before 10,000 people, the video was unveiled, with Adobo Nation  co-host Lee Robin Salazar and WBC Latino Flyweight and Super Flyweight Champion Nonito Donaire with his family and management introducing the campaign. The launch, the announcement and  Bawal Kumopya T-shirts were huge hits. The campaign has aired globally on TFC and will be rolled out in various TFC events worldwide.

The OMB, which replaced the Videogram Regulatory Board (VRB), is responsible in regulating the manufacture of optical media in all their forms and has the power to slap stiffer fines and penalties to those who illegally reproduce those products. Since Ricketts took office as the new head of OMB in 2009 under the Office of the President, he has achieved several key milestones in the battle against piracy. This includes what was previously described as impossible: Seizing in 2011 all copies of pirated videos on sale on the streets of Quiapo and Sta. Cruz — the symbolic piracy hub of the Philippines. In partnership with Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, they proved that fighting film and video piracy is a winnable war if national and local government officials have the political will to end it.

Another major achievement under Ricketts’ leadership is the zero piracy of films at the annual Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), a Christmas season tradition that families have enjoyed and contributed financially to the benefit of the Filipino film industry. Since 2009, he has accomplished a piracy-free film festival which resulted to robust theater attendance and ticket sales for the festival.

Ricketts was lauded by the film industry, receiving the FPJ Memorial Award from the Film Academy for Movie Arts & Sciences (FAMAS) in recognition for his efforts. He has also a star in the Walk of Fame in Eastwood City.

This strong leadership and resolute commitment to eradicate piracy and, in effect, help the economy and the film industry, inspired the ABS-CBN TFC management to assist the efforts of Ricketts and bring his message to Filipinos overseas.