Yes, there is a downside to piracy …

In Philippine society, piracy seems to have been accepted as an ordinary part of life. Hey, we even embrace it as a means by which we can “get back” at First World countries, remember the “piracy is a revenge of the Third World … “quote.

In the first place, why shouldn’t we shouldn’t we embrace it? Why do we need to spend Php 250 to Php 450 on original movie CDs/DVDs at the malls when one can get it for Php 40 to 50 in Greenhills, Quiapo, along Commonwealth, etc? Why spend thousands on original Microsoft, Adobe, Peachtree, etc. software when pirated copies of such software go for about Php 100 to 150 in Greenhills? Why discourage enterprising young people, who, with a personal computer, CD/DVD writer and a lot of blank CD/DVDs, are able to earn a couple of hundred bucks selling compilations of copyrighted music and/or movies to friends? Why discourage this very convenient and inexpensive access to information and entertainment? Why indeed …

Well aside from being patently illegal, there is a more practical downside to piracy ... it deprives the government of much needed revenues.

Here is one very glaring fact, from 2002 to 2006, the Philippine government has incurred trade losses, amounting to US $653.7 Million, more than half a billion US dollars (surprisingly large isn’t it).

Imagine what the government could have done with the money, even if some of it had gone into the pockets of corrupt government officials. Such monies could have been used to fund infrastructure projects, a lot of which are now being undertaken, and other useful endeavors intended for the benefit of the Filipino people.

The possibility of the Philippines facing economic sanctions from its trade partners, especially the United States, is also another point against piracy. Considering that the United States has long pressured the Philippines into providing better protection for intellectual property, having placed it in its “Watchlist” and “Priority watchlist”, it is not so unfathomable for the US to impose some form of economic sanction for the continued prevalence of piracy in the country.

These are immediate and practical downsides to piracy, not vague or intangible consequences, which the government should consider in crafting its policies, declared or otherwise.

With this article, I only seek to inform, in no way does this article express my personal opinion with respect to whether or not I favor piracy. Whatever your personal opinion is on piracy in the Philippines, I just think it is best that one should at least get to see, or at least glimpse, both sides of the coin before formulating an opinion.

SOURCES: INTERNATIONAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ALLIANCE
2007 “SPECIAL 301” REPORT PHILIPPINES
http://www.iipa.com/rbc/2007/2007SPEC301PHILIPPINES.pdf

Delia S. Tantuico and Errol Wilfred Zshornack, Surian sa mga Pag-aaral Pangkaunlaran ng Pilipinas, Philippine Institute for Development Studies, Discussion Paper Series No. 2006-12.
http://www3.pids.gov.ph/ris/dps/pidsdps0612.pdf