Copyright in the Philippines

Study Notes

Books, pamphlets, articles, periodicals, newspapers, lectures, sermons, addresses, letters, dramatic or musical compositions, choreographic works, musical compositions, drawings, paintings, architecture, sculpture, engravings, lithographs, models or designs for works of art, original ornamental designs, illustrations, maps, plans, sketches, charts, three-dimensional works related to geography, topography, architecture, or science, drawings or plastic works of a scientific or technical character, photographic works, lantern slides, audiovisual works, cinematographic works, pictorial illustrations, advertisements, and computer programs are all protected by copyright.

Ideas, procedures, systems, concepts, principles, discoveries, and mere data are not protected by copyright.
News of the day and miscellaneous facts considered press information are not protected.
Official texts of a legislative, administrative, or legal nature are not protected.
Works of the Philippine Government are not protected unless specifically approved by the appropriate government agency.
Statutes, rules, regulations, speeches, lectures, sermons, addresses, and dissertations delivered in courts of justice, administrative agencies, deliberative assemblies, and public meetings are not protected.

Copyright protection begins from the moment of creation, registration is not required.
The owner of the work, their assignees, or successors-in-interest can apply for registration.

The author is the original owner.
Co-authors are joint owners and their rights are governed by co-ownership rules.
The employer owns the work if it is created as part of the employee's regular duties, unless otherwise agreed upon.
If the work was commissioned, the commissioner and the author/creator jointly own it, but the copyright belongs to the author/creator, unless otherwise agreed upon.
In audiovisual works, the producer, scenario author, music composer, film director, and work adapter all share copyright.
Letters are owned by the writer, but the recipient can authorize publication or dissemination with the writer's consent or if public goods or justice require it.

The author/creator can waive or transfer copyright to a corporation or individual.

Copyright protection lasts for the author's lifetime plus 50 years after their death.
This applies to posthumous works.
In joint authorship, economic rights are protected for the lifetime of the last surviving author plus 50 years after their death.