IPOPHL apprises PEPA on publishers' rights

21 June 2018

The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) apprised the country’s largest publishers of educational books of their intellectual property rights, as the latter sees a ’culture of infringement’ spreading in the production and use of ’book-alikes’. 

In a forum discussing copyright trends and updates organized by the Philippine Educational Publishers’ Association (PEPA) held Wednesday, IPOPHL Director General Josephine R. Santiago acknowledged the challenge of “book-alikes” of text books.

Reproducing these unauthorised copies of entire books is widespread among university students looking to save on costs.

Mr. Jerry Catabijan, PEPA Board member noted this  ‘culture of infringement’ seen by the organisation as the impetus to be equipped with the finer points of copyright.

Publishers are assigned, either entirely or partially, by the author with the right to reproduce a work. In being given this right, publishers also gain the right to edit, arrange, and adapt a work, and the right over the typographical arrangement of the published edition of a work.

Moreover, the Director General clarified the photocopying of an entire book, even for one’s personal library is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder contrary to the belief that it’s permissible if it’s just for private use.

Permission to reproduce by photocopying or by digital means of a published work without the copyright owner’s consent is only allowed if it’s not the entire book, or what is considered a ‘substantial part’ of a book.