Governments of South Korea and the Philippines Join ACE to Co-Host International Copyright Enforcement Forum

MANILA, Philippines, Dec. 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), the Motion Picture Association (MPA), the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) and the Korea Copyright Protection Agency (KCOPA) co-hosted the International Forum on Copyright Enforcement last week, attended by more than 70 government officials and content industry representatives.

The forum was part of the IP Enforcement Summit held by IPOPHL and the National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights (NCIPR) of the Philippines. Attendees discussed ways to curb digital piracy, effective consumer messaging and the efficacy of site blocking, setting the stage for the launch of IPOPHL's site blocking program.

"The Voluntary Site Blocking Mechanism will cause significant disruption of access to pirated sites and protect the creativity that drives our economy," said Director General Rowel Barba of IPOPHL. "Our collective goal is to strike a balance between the rights of creators and the needs of consumers while fostering an environment that encourages the continued production of original and high-value content and respect of IP." 

"As readers, consumers, and members of our society, we have the power to shape the narrative," added Director General Barba. "By choosing to support genuine works, by rejecting piracy in all its forms, and by spreading awareness about its detrimental effects, we can collectively make a difference."

Jan van Voorn, Executive Vice President and Chief of Global Content Protection for the Motion Picture Association and Head of ACE, said the global content industry needs to work collaboratively to combat the global criminal enterprise of online piracy services.

"We welcome the opportunity to continue to work closely with the governments of the Philippines and South Korea to protect the global creative sector," van Voorn added, referencing MOUs signed by ACE in 2022 and early 2023 with IPOPHL and KCOPA, respectively.

GMA Network Inc., which last year became the first Philippines-based media and entertainment company to join ACE, applauded the launch of the country's voluntary site blocking initiative.

"The collaborative efforts of all the stakeholders are a manifestation of our resolve and dedication to safeguarding the intellectual property rights of the creative industry," Joseph Francia, First Vice-President and Head of International Operations, GMA Network, Inc. "We cannot do it alone. We are confident that together we can accomplish so much more in addressing the rampant issue of online piracy in the Philippines. The launch of the Voluntary Site Blocking Mechanism is a crucial step towards that direction."

About The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment

The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) is the world's leading coalition dedicated to protecting the legal creative market and reducing digital piracy. Driven by a comprehensive approach to addressing piracy through criminal referrals, civil litigation, and cease-and-desist operations, ACE has achieved many successful global enforcement actions against illegal streaming services and unauthorized content sources and their operators. Drawing upon the collective expertise and resources of more than 50 media and entertainment companies around the world—including sports channels and associations—and reinforced by the Motion Picture Association's content protection operations, ACE protects the creativity and innovation that drives the global growth of core copyright and entertainment industries. The current governing board members for ACE are Amazon, Apple TV+, NBCUniversal, Netflix Studios LLC, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Paramount, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures and Warner Bros. Charles Rivkin is Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association and Chairman of ACE. For more information, visit www.alliance4creativity.com.

SOURCE Motion Picture Association