29 9 月, 2022

Philippine Industry Body Launched for Stronger Content Protection and Anti-Piracy Efforts

MANILA, Sep 29, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Today, leading Philippine industry players including, Globe, GMA Network, Inc., Cignal TV, Inc, KROMA Entertainment and Smart Communications, Inc, joined hands with the Asia Video Industry Association's (AVIA) Coalition Against Piracy (CAP) to announce the formation of the Video Coalition of the Philippines (VCP). The VCP aims to push for stronger intellectual property protection in the Philippines that will protect both original content and users, as well as promote the Philippines creative and media industries, not only in the Philippines but around the world. VCP convenors will build on the momentum of the presentation of the proposed Revised Intellectual Property Code in the Philippines' 19th Congress in July and the recent Protection of Online Content Summit held on September 2 in Manila. House Bill No. 0799, filed by Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda, aims to update the Philippines' patent application system and make it "more attuned to the digital age." It also "provides for technologies and media that were not anticipated" at the time the intellectual property code was enacted. Proposed revisions also give regulators greater authority to combat IP violations, including the power to issue "permanent blocking orders, takedown orders, cease-and-desist, or disable access orders" against websites, service providers, and online platforms, including social media. The current IP code does not cover electronic or online content in its definition of pirated goods and lacks clear provisions that would allow for efficient and effective site blocking, and other interventions against online IP violations. CAP General Manager Matt Cheetham said, "With the presentation of Bill No. 0799, "An Act Establishing for the Revised Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines" to the House, the Philippines has a golden opportunity to not only update and future proof its intellectual property regime, but to act as a launching pad for intellectual property to protect consumers and advance the overall Philippine economy." Cheetham further noted CAP's recent YouGov survey showed Philippine consumers believe a government regulation for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to block pirated content would be the most effective measure to reduce piracy in the Philippines. Globe, the Philippines' leading digital solutions platform, has been an advocate of anti-piracy through its #PlayItRight advocacy. Globe hopes to rally consumers and stakeholders behind original content creators by making online content affordable and accessible via content subscription. "Revising the Intellectual Property Code will go a long way in protecting Filipino consumers from the dangers that lurk in pirate sites and improving cybersecurity in the country, especially as Filipinos now rely heavily on digital platforms," said Globe Chief Information Security Officer Anton Bonifacio. Yoly Crisanto, Globe Group Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer, said revising the IP Code is necessary to improve the country's regulatory environment just as the government aims for greater digitalization. "The use of digital technologies and platforms is expected to further expand in the years to come, whether it be for education, finance, health or recreation. It is, therefore, urgent that we provide better protection for the creative industry and give them a secure environment conducive to creativity and innovation," said Crisanto. "Upholding intellectual property rights in the Philippines enables the creative industry to grow and thrive. KROMA, through the Video Coalition of the Philippines, is committed to collaborate with stakeholders to ensure that this is observed, for the industry's success and sustainability," said Jil Go, KROMA's Head of Broadcast and Publishing."GMA's participation in the Video Coalition of the Philippines presents an opportunity to further strengthen our existing anti-piracy initiatives by working with other players in the industry to push for the implementation of site blocking mechanisms and help protect our viewers and GMA content against unauthorized uploaders," said Joseph T. Francia, First Vice President and Head of Operations, GMA International.Pointing to the impact of site blocking in Indonesia, where traffic to pirate sites has dropped by more than 75% since the government implemented their rolling site blocking procedures in 2019, Cheetham further noted, "The effectiveness of site blocking is backed up by CAP's most recent YouGov consumer surveys in which more than 50% of Indonesian consumers say that they have stopped or rarely access pirate services as a result of the highly efficient and effective blocking measures in place there.""Perhaps more importantly, 76% of Indonesian consumers say they are accessing more legal content and pirating less, and 26% have subscribed to legitimate sources as a result of illegal streaming sites being blocked. Blocking as an educational tool may also be evident in 95% of Indonesian consumers agreeing that online piracy does have negative consequences - the highest in the region," said Cheetham. When done efficiently and effectively, site blocking has a massive impact on combating piracy, changing attitudes and protecting consumers. About the Asia Video Industry Association The Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) is the trade association for the video industry and ecosystem in Asia Pacific. It serves to make the video industry stronger and healthier through promoting the common interests of its members. AVIA is the interlocutor for the industry with governments across the region, leads the fight against video piracy through its Coalition Against Piracy (CAP) and provides insight into the video industry through reports and conferences aimed to support a vibrant video industry. For media enquiries and additional background please contact:Charmaine KwanHead of Marketing and CommunicationsEmail: charmaine@avia.orgWebsite: www.avia.org Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

12 8 月, 2021

Newly-formed Labuan Economic Sector Coalition urges federal gov to begin dialogue to formulate fair SOP

LABUAN, Malaysia, Aug 12, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - The newly-formed Labuan Economic Sector Coalition (the "Coalition") which comprises of various associations and business organizations released a press statement to express its grave concerns on the prospects facing Labuan due to unfair application of new SOP requirements, which are causing shipping firms and related major economic sectors to slow down or completely halt their activities on the island. This is despite the fact that Labuan is first among territories and states in Malaysia to have fully-vaccinated over 80% of its population and achieved herd immunity.LabuanTs Daniel DoughtyThe Labuan Economic Sector Coalition Members comprises of various associations and business organizations including Labuan Freight Forwarder Association, Sabah Shipping Agent Association, Malaysia Offshore Support Vessels Owners Association (MOSVA), Malaysia Shipowners' Association (MASA), Petronas, Labuan Shipyard & Engineering, Megah Port Management, Asian Supply Base, Sabah Flour & Feed Mills and Antara Steel.The Coalition's lead facilitator Ts Daniel Doughty said that import and export difficulties in Labuan started on July 16 when all visiting local and foreign ships were required to stay in quarantine for a minimum of 14 days to a maximum of 21 days. Merchant ships have shown reluctance to visit Labuan to avoid paying substantial charges triggered by a prolonged stay at the port due to the quarantine rule. The new SOP has also disrupted the supply chain security for more than 3 weeks despite marine transportation being included in the essential services by Majlis Keselamatan Negara (MKN). As a result, parts and machinery supplies as well as oil and gas production are affected, while ship yards are burdened with losses of contracts and delay penalties.Appeals to the District Disaster Management Committee (JPBD Labuan) and Federal Territory Ministry by various parties here have been left unresolved, and shipping SOP requirements that were updated have not been favourable despite Labuan successfully moving on to Phase 3 of the National Recovery Plan due to its splendid record in managing Covid-19."All of this disappointment and frustration can be easily solved if JPBD Labuan is willing to have a dialogue with the stakeholders and formulate a winning SOP for all parties, and also recognize that we cannot expect to have an SOP to fit all types of business operations. It does not work and the impact in the long run, is towards the Labuan community and not just the businesses," commented Ts Daniel.MOSVA President Mohamed Safwan Othman said that there are on average 10 to 15 offshore support vessels (OSVs) loading essential supplies for 7000+ personnel working at offshore platforms and rigs. He explained, "With SOP phase-3, these vessels are subjected to 7-day quarantines and crews have to undergo RT-PCR test after every completed trip. One round trip which takes 1 to 3 days, involves zero contact with personnel at jetties and platforms/rigs. Therefore, these vessels which perform supply run dedicated for the oil and gas industry should be exempted from repeated quarantine and RT-PCR tests. Before signing on, each crew has already completed a 14-day quarantine with 2 swab tests thus they should be safe in their respective green bubbles. These phase-3 SOPs are a significant interruption to the supply runs and consequently the national oil production."Notably, a representative from MASA Mr James Ong pointed out that Port Klang was not subject to similarly applied SOP requirements, despite being located in Selangor which is still in Phase 1 of the National Recovery Plan. He said, "The stringent SOPs currently in place would have been necessary when Labuan was still deep in the pandemic two to three months ago. However, Labuan's situation has greatly improved thus the introduction of these SOPs are outdated."Coalition Member, Megah Port Management managing director Tan Sri Mohd Bakri Mohd Zinin echoed MASA's dismay on the discrimination against Labuan and warned that if the government did not take action quickly, the oil and gas sector here could come to a grinding halt."Vessels with Labuan-consigned containers have shown reluctance to make a stop at Labuan and have chosen instead to discharge their cargo at the nearest ports such as Sandakan and Kota Kinabalu. There, they are able to get port health clearance to dock without quarantine as well. Some shipping firms have even decided to halt their activities here because of the unfair Labuan condition.It is ironic that hundreds of lorries and drivers can enter the island from Sabah (human contact) each day while ships with far less crews (with no human contact) are restricted and forced to quarantine," said Mohd Bakri.He added that the situation is worrying because at the end of the day, the problems of shortages and rising costs of imports would trickle down to the consumers in Labuan.The Coalition has formally requested a dialogue session with the relevant authorities and has expressed their willingness to be proactive and help shape up a winning SOP. At the time of the announcement, they have yet to receive a response. An emergency online meeting was held yesterday among the Coalition Members to formulate a consensus on the way forward, and most importantly to begin documenting the past and future impacts due to the unconsulted, rigid SOPs that was created by the authority."The shipping industry and O&G sector is presently the most significant pillar of the local economy, as this is the main source of income and livelihood for most of the people in Labuan while the tourism sector is still inactive. We urge the federal government and relevant authorities to address and solve this matter immediately, before it inevitably deals a severe blow to many other essential sectors in a chain effect," concluded the Coalition's lead facilitator Ts Daniel. Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

27 11 月, 2020

Women Icons Network, Myanmar Coalition sign pact to enhance social conversations around workplace gender equality

SINGAPORE, Nov 27, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - Singapore headquartered, Women Icons Network (WIN), a platform that captures the value of gender-balanced workplaces by engaging women, corporates and D&I professionals, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Myanmar Business Coalition for Gender Equality (BCGE). Under the terms of the MoU signed on November 5, 2020, WIN and BCGE will work towards increasing commitment and social conversations around gender equality at the workplace. BCGE is a non-profit association that encourages businesses to initiate gender equality practices in the workplace. The association and its member firms have made considerable progress towards creating gender-equal places of work. WIN is a technologically powered, globally scalable online platform that amplifies the voices of women at the workplace and also enables them to share their experiences. "We are excited to welcome Women Icons Network (WIN) as our latest partner. The collaboration will not only help us highlight the tremendous work done by our member firms but also roll-out mentorship programs that address the gaps essential to building an inclusive leadership," said Ms Kyawt Kay Thi Win, Country Director, BCGEMr Vishwesh Iyer, Co-founder, WIN, believes that all those working towards ensuring gender equal workplaces need to make a collective effort that augments individual strengths if we as a society are serious about SDG 5 Goals. About Women Icons NetworkWomen Icons Network (WIN) is an engagement and data aggregation platform that captures the value of gender equal places of work across South and South East Asia. Integrating workplace feedback and published data on companies to create a Diversity Metric that differentiates places of work around gender equality, the platform will amplify the efforts of all stakeholders operating the area of diversity and inclusion. WIN, headquartered in Singapore, is promoted by two experienced professionals and supported by hundreds of women leaders across South and South East Asia.About Business Coalition for Gender EqualityThe Business Coalition for Gender Equality (BCGE) is a non-profit association and also a coalition of companies that are committed to promoting gender equality in the workplace in Myanmar.Our association is led and founded by seven leading businesses in Myanmar - City Mart Holding Limited (CMHL), KBZ Bank, KBZ MS, AYA Bank, FMI, Parami Energy Group of Companies, and Shwe Taung Group - that have all committed to achieve organizational growth and global sustainable development goals through workplace gender equality initiatives.BCGE encourages all companies and organizations in the commercial sector to initiate workplace gender equality practices and serves as a center of excellence to support their journey.Contact for Media queriesVishwesh Iyervishwesh@womeniconsnetwork.com+65 - 91018487 Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com