Do you know that a copyright exists at the moment of creation? Yes, it does. Copyright needs no registration.
However, for the purposes of documentation and reference, a deposit is needed to complete the collection of the National Library and the Library of the Supreme Court. You can deposit with either library; both is sufficient under the law. I want to stress that the deposit is not needed for the copyright to exist. Again, the copyright exists from the moment of creation.
Directly quoted from the website of Intellectual Property Philippines, you can demand the following
penalities for the infrigement of copyrights:
1st offense – Fine of Php50,000-150,000 and 1 year-3 years imprisonment;
2nd offense – Fine of Php150,000-500,000 and 3 to 6 years imprisonment;
3rd and subsequent offense – Fine of Php500,000 to 1.5 M and/or 6 to 9
years imprisonment with subsidiary imprisonment in case of insolvency
Uploading digital formats of any artistic works (photographs, paintings, music, poems) is
a common practice now. We are in the tide of the digital wave. Speed and reach are its advantages.
Plagiarism and violation of intellectual property rights are some of its disadvantages. I am aware of a story
where, in his website, a photographer claimed another photographer's work to be his own, when it is not.
Can we sweep the whole of Cyberia for such thieves? How do we protect ourselves?
In our legal system, we'll be drained of our resources before our filed cases can be solved. What is the use
of copyright when piracy cannot be solved; when our judicial system cannot uphold that right? Aaah,
puzzles for the mind, technicalities, long discussions with fellow artists, contract clauses, lawyers,
etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. Still, it is good that the law against intellectual thieves is legislated.
I haven’t sued anyone for the infringement of a copyright, but if my copyright is violated,
I hope I will have the capacity to sue. I will see if something happens before I lose every financial resource.
And if justice is served promptly, who knows, I might make a hobby out of litigation. The fines are high.
Hik!
