ONE OF my earliest memories is picking out plastic-wrapped DVDs along the Dampa streetside. My daily entertainment came from bootleg copies of Disney movies and seasons of Pokémon.
Then, high school classes introduced me to Adobe Photoshop and Premiere Pro. Clamoring to work on creative projects in my own time, I waded through webs of sketchy links and pop-ups just to find a free download link that wouldn’t give me a virus. Without easy access to shows, films, books, and software, I wouldn’t have developed the skills and tastes that define me today.
Undeniably, digital piracy democratizes access to knowledge and culture that are often obscured by financial and geographical barriers. How can we expect the average Filipino to regularly purchase movie tickets more than half the price of their commute? The normalization of piracy in the country is a reflection of Filipinos’ lack of access to the content they want to consume, whether it be due to convoluted distribution rights or the high prices charged upfront.
Some creatives, such as director Lav Diaz, have voiced their support for piracy, seeing it as a way to make films available to everyone. However, it cannot be denied that our local creative industry suffers significant losses due to it. In 2022, the Philippines lost P38.2 billion due to the piracy of locally made TV shows and movies, with almost seven in 1o Filipinos consuming pirated content. The government has intervened by blocking online streaming sites and launching information campaigns; however, these efforts fail to tackle the cost and lack of accessibility that drive people to pirate in the first place.
Steps are being taken in the right direction. For instance, JuanFlix provides an affordable way to stream local films, both new and old. The local Netflix catalog also continues to expand, with more films and shows added each month. Beyond streaming, the University of the Philippines Film Institute Film Center regularly screens local and international movies for a fraction of the price of mall cinemas. Even with increased convenience, however, financial capabilities are still a deciding factor in whether people will pay for it.
This isn’t a call to action to pirate everything you watch, read, play, and listen to—it’s a call to consume media responsibly. Aside from money, there are other ways to support your favorite artists. Word of mouth is one of the strongest drivers of media consumption. Your engagement does not just end after the credits roll—sharing recommendations to friends and family and spreading the word about what you enjoy generates interest. Even if you can’t afford or access content legally, there is a chance someone in your circle can.
As long as channels of content remain inaccessible to the masses, piracy will persist. Culture should not be a privilege reserved for those who can afford it. At the same time, piracy should only serve as a gateway to discovery, not a way to perpetuate the growing sense of entitlement to creative work.
Qichsia is a Management Engineering junior at the Ateneo de Manila University. With a background in design and data, she champions climate justice and uplifts the local creatives industry by combining human-centered research with strategic planning.
Editor’s Note: The views and opinions expressed by the opinion writer do not necessarily state or reflect those of the publication.
