IPOPHL calls for amplified collaboration to intensify IP awareness, help music industry hit high note | Department of Trade and Industry Philippines

DTI Secretary Cristina A. Roque delivering her speech at the podium during the 2025 Gawad Yamang Isip (GYI) Awards.

Parañaque City, Philippines—As Filipino talents continue to soar globally, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) calls on partners in both the public and private sectors, as well as its partner state universities and colleges to unite in the shared mission of protecting the rights of music creators in the digital economy.

In her welcome remarks and State of Intellectual Property (IP) Address at the 2025 Gawad Yamang Isip (GYI) Awards held last week, IPOPHL Director General Brigitte M. da Costa-Villaluz emphasized the need for more opportunities to educate the public of their rights.

“The duty of course to inform holders of rights which can be protected is IPOPHL’s. Nonetheless, we call on support for this endeavor. We have capacity building projects in place,” da Costa-Villaluz added.

“IPOPHL by itself will not be able to reach everyone, but we know that with your help, we will be able to reach more,” she added

With the ongoing boom in the Philippine music scene, the IPOPHL chief highlighted the need to ensure that creators are fairly rewarded through IP awareness, education and capacity building. She also pointed out the need for strong enforcement efforts, especially in the digital space, which is a challenging environment for creators amid rampant piracy and infringement.

DG da Costa-Villaluz cited the site-blocking rules which disables access to entire piracy sites and the IPOPHL-facilitated E-Commerce Memorandum of Understanding, which from 45 in January 2025 now has 106 signatories as of April 2025.

In the first quarter of 2025, IPOPHL saw a 24.36% increase in copyright registrations to 1,700 from 1,367 in the comparable period last year, reflecting a growing awareness of the importance of IP protection.

However, copyright registrations of musical compositions for the first quarter of 2025 comprise 4.94% of total copyright registrations for the same period, while sound recordings comprise 1.12% of the total.

“‘Kay ganda ng ating musika.’ Protektahan natin ‘ang sariling atin,’” da Costa-Villaluz said, quoting the famous lines from the song “Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika composed by National Artist and GYI Awardee Ryan Cayabyab and performed the late singer Hajji Alejandro.

The GYI Awards was graced by Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Cristina A. Roque who underscored the vital contribution of the IPOPHL as a key member of the Philippine Creative Industries Development Council (PCIDC).

“As we pursue a whole-of-government approach to unlock opportunities for our creative industries and elevate Filipino talent, we are also forging global partnerships and embracing digital transformation to sharpen our country’s competitive edge,” said Secretary Roque.

“These efforts directly advance President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s vision for a ‘Bagong Pilipinas’—a nation that generates more quality jobs, delivers world-class Filipino-made products, fuels innovation, and strengthens pride in our homegrown industries,” the secretary added.

In 2024, the creative economy contributed 7.3% to the country’s GDP with a value of P1.94 trillion—an 8.7% increase from P1.78 trillion in 2023. Employment in the creative economy also rose, reaching 7.51 million in 2024 from 7.23 million the previous year, representing 15.4% of the nation’s total employment. ♦

Date of Release: 28 April 2025

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