The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) said Viva Holdings Inc. is the first entertainment firm to enter the e-commerce memorandum of understanding (MOU), which aims to strengthen the fight against online piracy and counterfeiting.

In a statement, IPOPHL said Viva’s entry into the MOU is vital in encouraging more creatives to protect their intellectual property (IP) rights.

IPOPHL, the country’s anti-piracy body, said robust IP protection fuels business growth, further unlocking more opportunities for the creative industry.

"The more stakeholders we encourage to join the E-Commerce MOU, the more cooperation we have, giving IP rights holder signatories like Viva a more efficient mechanism to protect their content from pirated uploads and streaming, as well as inspire other content creators to take charge of their IP assets," said IPOPHL Director General Brigitte da Costa-Villaluz.

Created in 2021, the MOU established a “voluntary code of practice” among e-commerce stakeholders, making flagging and taking down infringing goods and content easier.

The agreement is seen as a model of cooperative enforcement, which is vital in the digital space where pirated content can spread within seconds.

IPOPHL said that Viva and its 37 subsidiaries, which span content creation, production, marketing, and distribution, as well as the food business, cosmetics, and retail operations, signed up for the MOU.

Viva Communications Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Vicente del Rosario Jr. said inking the agreement with the agency will help boost the company’s content assets against piracy.

Del Rosario stressed that piracy threatens 80 percent of Viva’s potential revenue.

"If not for piracy, we could have a bigger budget to create more content for our audience to enjoy, but we're getting less than what we hope to get. If not for piracy, we could be a formidable creative economy on par with South Korea," the executive explained.

"If you see the effort that goes into creating films and shows, it’s disheartening to then find that same content being made available on e-commerce platforms. It invalidates the talent and hard work of Filipino creatives. It can really be discouraging,” he added.

Del Rosario noted that close cooperation with online platforms will be vital to results-driven enforcement and protecting the future of the creative economy. 

With Viva’s entry to the MOU, the number of signatories now totals 105, comprising companies, industry groups, business chambers, and platforms.