Globe has been cited by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) for its unwavering commitment to safeguarding intellectual property (IP) rights and combating digital piracy.

The company was acknowledged among several individual and institutional partners for their support in strengthening IP protection and enforcement efforts at the recent Gawad Yamang Isip Awards (GYI) led by IPOPHL and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

The awards recognize IP rights holders who have made significant contributions to innovation, creativity and business.

Carlo Santos, Globe senior director for Analytics, Intelligence and Stakeholder Engagement, received the award on Globe’s behalf.

This year’s awards align with the WIPO’s World IP Day theme “IP and SDGs: Building our common future with innovation and creativity.”

Globe’s recognition stems from its proactive measures to fight the unauthorized distribution and sale of pirated content over the internet.

The company recently signed a groundbreaking Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with IPOPHL and other leading internet service providers (ISPs) to establish a site-blocking mechanism against pirate sites.

This MOU outlines general principles and procedures for site blocking.

To ensure that Filipino talents are duly recognized, protected and rewarded, it has also joined the creative, entertainment and digital industries in pushing for the Senate’s swift passage of amendments to the Intellectual Property Code to institutionalize online site blocking.

“We are honored to be acknowledged for our efforts in promoting a culture of respect for intellectual property rights. As a staunch advocate for robust IP protection, Globe remains committed to cultivating a thriving creative ecosystem in the Philippines by collaborating with all stakeholders to address digital piracy issues,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe’s chief sustainability and corporate communications officer.

Surveys carried out by YouGov for the Coalition Against Piracy (CAP) have highlighted the positive impact of site blocking on local creative industries. The findings indicate that a majority of Filipino consumers strongly back government efforts against online content piracy and are willing to pay for legitimate content if it is not accessible through pirated channels.

The creative industry’s contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) stood at P1.6 trillion in 2022, accounting for approximately 7.3% of the total, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. However, this figure was lower than the 7.5% reported in 2018, primarily due to the detrimental effects of piracy.

As part of its long-standing #PlayItRight advocacy, Globe has been actively promoting and protecting the country’s creative industry from the damaging effects of piracy.

The campaign aligns with the company’s purpose of creating a Globe of Good, encouraging everyone to firmly stand behind filmmakers and content creators, respect their hard work, and help sustain the jobs and livelihood that depend on it.