A consumer group urged the Senate to act on the anti-online piracy bill, which the group considers an urgent concern as technology evolves over time.

"Nakapanlulumo ang patuloy na pagkakabinbin ng mga panukalang batas sa Senado na may layuning protektahan ang ating mga artista, manlilikha, at mamimili mula sa mga mapanlinlang at ilegal na operasyon sa internet (It is disheartening that the proposed bills in the Senate, aimed at protecting our artists, creators, and consumers from deceptive and illegal online operations, continue to be stalled)," Bantay Konsyumer, Kalsada, Kuryente (BK3) Convenor Atty. Karry Sison said in a statement.

Two bills, namely Senate Bills 2150 and 2385, have been pending in the Senate pertaining to the site blocking bill. These bills aim to amend the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines.

Creative industry stakeholders have been calling for the passage of the bill amid the unabated infringement of the intellectual property rights, which had reportedly caused a huge loss in the industry income and government revenues.

"Matagal nang hinihiling ng mga apektadong sektor ang pagpapatupad ng site blocking upang pigilan ang mga website na patuloy na kumikita mula sa ipinagbabawal na distribusyon ng mga pelikula, musika, at iba pang likhang sining (Affected sectors have long been requesting the implementation of site blocking to prevent websites from continuing to profit from the illegal distribution of films, music, and other creative works)," Sison said.

Senator Mark Villar, during his tenure as chair of the Committee on Trade, Commerce, and Entrepreneurship, spearheaded public hearings on Senate Bills 2150 and 2385, introduced by Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada and Senator Bong Revilla, respectively.

The group cited data from the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, which disclosed that due to online piracy, the country has lost $781 million in 2022, and if it remained unaddressed, the revenue loss would increase up to $1 billion.

Aside from revenue loss, the group also raised concerns over digital security threats such as scams and cyberattacks that would continue to increase if online piracy will remain unaddressed.

"Ngunit hindi lang ito tungkol sa sining at kita. Ang online piracy ay may mas malalim pang epekto—naglalagay ito sa peligro sa ating digital na seguridad (But it's not just about art and profit. Online piracy has deeper implications—it puts our digital security at risk)," Sison said.

"Maraming Pilipino ang hindi nakakaalam na sa bawat pagbisita nila sa mga website ng piratang nilalaman, ibinubukas nila ang kanilang sarili sa malware, phishing, at iba pang cyber threats na maaaring magdulot ng pagnanakaw ng kanilang personal na impormasyon. Isa itong seryosong banta na hindi maaaring ipagsawalang-bahala (Many Filipinos are unaware that each time they visit websites with pirated content, they expose themselves to malware, phishing, and other cyber threats that can lead to the theft of their personal information. This is a serious threat that cannot be ignored)," he added.

The group cited that online piracy in Indonesia and South Korea have decreased after these countries implemented policies similar to site blocking bill.