REVILLA LAUDS OMB ON ABORTED CIRCULATION OF PIRATED MMFF FILMS; WANTS INTENSIFIED ANTI-PIRACY DRIVE

Senator Bong Revilla today called on the Optical Media Board (OMB) to intensify its follow-up operations after its recent raid that aborted the circulation of pirated Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2009 entries.

Reports reaching the lawmaker bared that OMB operatives raided last Tuesday (December 29) a printing press in San Andres Bukid, Manila where cover labels of pirated filmfest entries are being printed. They also raided its main office in Makati City where the design for the cover labels are being done.

"Clearly there is a plan to pirate the movies of the present MMFF. Film pirates are sabotaging our hard work to revive the local movie industry. We must double our efforts to curb this problem," said Revilla, former chairman of the Video Regulatory Board (now Optical Media Board).

He lauded the OMB for its continuos anti-piracy efforts inspite of the Holiday Season. "Nothwithstanding the Holiday Season, our OMB operatives are still working. This is a good news for the film industry," he said.

However, Revilla warned that pirated disc copies of filmfest entries and other local films will still proliferate in the streets unless the OMB will intensify its follow-up operations. He pointed out that the sucessful OMB raid will become worthless if the pirated disc copies will not be confiscated.

"It is only a tip of the iceberg. These film pirates can easily produce cover labels of their pirated products. In effect, we did not really abort its circulation, we just delayed it. The OMB must get the pirated discs. And I am confident that Chairman Rickets will pursue this task, " Revilla explained.

For his part, Rickets vowed to further strengthen the intelligence gathering and follow-up operations of OMB to track down the whereabouts of illegal replicating machines. "Hindi tayo titigil dito. Hindi lang ang mga vendors ang huhulihin natin kundi pati iyung may-ari ng mga replicating machines," said Rickets, who also commended Revilla for his full support in the anti-piracy drive of OMB.

The OMB chairman appealed to the public to help curb piracy by not patronizing pirated discs. "We should be vigilant. Magtulungan tayo. Hindi lang ang industriya ng pelikulang Pilipino ang bumabagsak dahil dito kundi ang ating ekonomiya," he added.