Rex Education urges consumers and the publishing sector to fight piracy

Rex Education launched their anti-piracy campaign at the Manila International Book Fair (MIBF) 2022. The objective was to encourage customers to combat piracy, safeguard intellectual property, and support the local book publishing industry.

Piracy is theft: Rex Education launched its anti-piracy campaign at the MIBF 2022

Theft is equivalent to piracy; piracy is a crime.

"After more than seventy years in the publishing industry, I am proud of the impact and contribution that each REX book has had on the lives of our students. And we at REX would like to continue providing written, audio, and digital learning materials to Filipino students. Through this effort against piracy, the book industry may continue to thrive. According to Attorney Dominador Buhain, information transfer can be kept confidential.

Piracy is penalized by law.

The Philippines' Intellectual Property Code, also known as Republic Act 8293, protects the publication of educational books. Under this law, it is illegal to copy and distribute books, audiobooks, and other printed or digital educational materials without permission. This can lead to jail time and fines of up to PHP 1.5 million.

However, piracy is still extremely common throughout the country. According to the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), they received a 25% increase in piracy reports from consumers and complaints from rights holders in 2021 compared with reports in 2020. This increase was due to the fact that more consumers were aware of and reporting illegal activity. The fact that 49% of piracy reports were about general and educational books and e-books shows that many learning materials are still being downloaded and shared illegally, even though there are more and more legal e-commerce shops and e-books and audiobooks are widely available.

In an effort to continue teaching Filipinos about the detrimental impact that piracy has on authors and publishers, Rex Education has launched its anti-piracy campaign. Rex also invites customers, who have become the ubiquitous keepers of information in this age of digital technology, to assist in putting a stop to the unauthorized reproduction and distribution of books, e-books, audiobooks, and any and all other learning tools and resources.

(L-R) Alvin Halcon, vice president of Philippine Group of Law Librarians (PGLL) and member of the Network of Academic Law Librarians; Alexis Vien Regala, national president of the Association of Law Students of the Philippines (ALSP); Jeanne Marie Tordesillas, chief marketing officer of Rex Education; Atty. Anna Marie Melanie B. Trinidad, chairperson of the Legal Education Board; Atty. Dominador Buhain, chairman and president of Rex Group of Companies; Dean Gemy Lito Festin, president of Philippine Association of Law Schools (PALS); Danda Crimelada Garcia, chief external affairs officer of Rex Education; Franklin Benedict Guerra, general manager of Rex Education’s Law Business Unit; and Bernice Mangabat, treasurer of PGLL 

The goal of the movement is to protect the hard work and creativity of creators and, ultimately, to start a chain reaction that makes people respect published content more, so that the publishing industry stays healthy and strong. 

Every book that is printed at REX's printing house is the product of a significant investment in terms of time, effort, and money. The educational resources that we develop provide a living for thousands of authors and hundreds of authors simultaneously. It is a felony to pirate. Jeanne Tordesillas, who is in charge of marketing at Rex Education, says that piracy is disrespectful not only to authors and editors, but also to artists and the publishing industry as a whole.

No to book piracy; respect creativity

It was clear that the book publishing industry, instructors, stakeholders from the education sector, creators and authors, consumers, and learners from the Philippines were all heavily represented at MIBF 2022. The anti-piracy movement was able to get even closer to the students and authors it is trying to protect by putting its headquarters at one of the country's biggest and most popular book fairs.

A rally organized by REX was held, surrounding the venue with placards, t-shirts, and brochures calling for a "No to book piracy, defend intellectual property, and appreciate creativity" call to action. The staged event got people's attention right away and kept them coming back to the REX booth, where the anti-piracy campaign was unveiled for the first time.

"We would like to continue providing authors with a place in which they can show off their skills and teach younger generations what they have learned. In light of the current economic climate, it is especially important to us that we continue to offer employment opportunities to those who are already part of our team as well as those who work in the publishing sector. According to what Buhain stated during the debut of the product, "We want to impart the culture of discipline and respect to the future generation so that they value what goes into every book that passes through their hands." "We would love to have you join us today. This will contribute to the growth of the local publishing business. Say no to piracy."

Join Rex Education in voicing your opposition to the illegal distribution of books and your support for measures that safeguard originality and intellectual property. Get it only from reputable sources, and always buy the authentic article. Watch the "Proud Ako" anti-piracy campaign film that was unveiled at the MIBF 2022, and feel free to share it with others. This video highlights the laborious effort that REX puts into producing each and every published book and learning material.

Simply go to www.rex.com.ph in order to show your support for Rex Education and the work that it is doing to safeguard the publishing sector.