IPOPHL to candidates: Seek permission before using artists' works in jingles, slogans

The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) has called on potential candidates for the 2025 mid-term elections to respect intellectual property rights of copyright holders and artists before using their works as campaign materials and jingles.

"Candidates' respect for intellectual property rights is a litmus test of their integrity and trustworthiness as future public servants. I don't think any voter would like to see any copyright owner and artist, especially their favorite artists, deprived of their right to have a say on the use of their work for a political campaign," IPOPHL Director General Rowel Barba said in a statement.

The IPOPHL chief reminded potential candidates to "properly seek permission from artists before transforming their works into catchy campaign jingles, slogans and merchandise items to build their political brand."

Barba added that political candidates may face not only public backlash, but also copyright infringement lawsuits.

Under Section 173 of Republic Act 8293 or the IP Code of 1997, a derivative work is defined as new work that does not violate any subsisting copyright upon the original work employed or any part thereof.

Emerson Cuyo, director of the Bureau of Copyright and Related Rights (BCRR), called on political candidates and parties to contact IPOPHL-accredited collective management organizations (CMOs) to secure the right licenses for the transformation and public performance of works.

Cuyo said CMOs such as the Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, Inc. (FILSCAP), Philippines Recorded Music Rights Inc. (PRM), Independent Music Producers of the Philippines (IMPRO) and Sounds Recording Rights Society, Inc. (SRRS) "could help facilitate negotiations and licensing arrangements for the transformation, use or public performance of songs and music, which are the most common types of copyrighted work transformed for local political campaigns." — VDV, GMA Integrated News