MANILA - The Optical Media Board is intensifying its campaign against software piracy by making unannounced visits of companies in Metro Manila that are suspected of using pirated software.

“The OMB is committed to tracking down businesses that continue to use pirated and unlicensed software. We have been conducting unannounced and random visits of numerous businesses across the country since March this year to complement the PAPT educational campaigns and the raids conducted by the NBI and the PNP,” OMB Chairman Edu Manzano said in a statement.

Manzano said that during the visits, OMB agents conduct physical inventory of the software programs that are utilized in the working stations and compare them with the proofs of license that are presented to them.

Among the areas that were visited are Makati, Mandaluyong, Pasig, Quezon City, Parañaque and Taguig. The intensified operation of the team is part of the crackdown campaign of the Pilipinas Anti-Piracy Team under the Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late! campaign.

Earlier this year, the OMB had already visited businesses in North and Central Luzon, South Luzon and Cebu. The OMB visits resulted in the seizures of several computers loaded with unlicensed and pirated copies of business software, as well as pirated or illegally reproduced CD installers of software programs.

Atty. Bien Marquez, Consultant for the Philippines of the Business Software Alliance (BSA), commended the innovative approach of the OMB and other members of the PAPT to address the prevailing problems on corporate end-users of pirated and unlicensed business software.

“Since PAPT’s intensified enforcement and educational campaign started early this year, we have seen increased interest and awareness on the campaigns against software piracy. We have also been receiving higher number of calls and feedback in the BSA hotline, as well as through the channels of our members. This initiative of the PAPT is definitely making a positive difference for the local software industry and we commend the government for that,” Marquez said.

The use of unlicensed and pirated software is a violation of the Optical Media Law and the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines and is punishable by up to nine years imprisonment and a maximum fine of 1.5 million pesos.