3 weeks ago
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The Philippine Bureau of Copyright has joined the global debate on whether works generated through artificial intelligence (AI) can be protected by copyright.
This comes after the bureau allowed the registration of a poster created using generative AI. The image on the poster was generated using Midjourney AI, an image generator that transforms textual prompts into visual creations regardless of a user’s artistic skills.
Applicant Jeffrey del Socorro filed for copyright registration of the SPI Electric Shock Safety Poster, claiming authorship and seeking to categorize it under Class G which covers works of drawing, painting, architecture, sculpture, engraving, lithography or other works of art.
Del Socorro used the following prompt: “An electrician with sparks coming out of his throat, in the style of light orange and dark green, emphasis on facial expression, odd juxtapositions, cel anime, meme art, abrasive authenticity, strong facial expression.”
He then refined one of the AI-generated results using Photoshop.
Initially, the chief of the Copyright Services Division rejected the application for registration, stating the work was AI-generated and, therefore, not eligible under Philippine copyright law, which requires human authorship.
However, the Bureau of Copyright disagreed. Its director Emerson Cuyo cited Republic Act 8293 (the Intellectual Property Code), which requires a work to originate from a human author. While acknowledging that Midjourney cannot be considered an author, the bureau argued that the human input and creative choices made by del Socorro qualified him as the work’s author.
The bureau emphasized that the SPI Electric Shock Safety Poster was brought into existence through del Socorro’s creative input. The IP Code asserts that works are protected “by the sole fact of their creation, irrespective of their mode or form of expression, as well as their content, quality and purpose.”
Del Socorro’s personal input, including his selection of prompts and post-editing, demonstrated creative freedom. The bureau also referenced Midjourney’s terms of service, which state that users own the outputs generated through the platform.
Instead of categorizing the poster under Class G, the bureau placed it under Class O covering other literary, scholarly, scientific and artistic works. This distinction acknowledges the difference between traditional and AI-assisted artistic creation.
Cuyo explained that this classification is a “prudent middle ground,” recognizing AI-generated works without equating them with traditionally created works. This approach also anticipates future developments in handling AI-generated content legally and ethically.
The bureau further noted that attributing authorship to Del Socorro highlights the distinction between those who develop AI systems and those who use them creatively.
Model of success
In 2023, Laguna emerged as the leading provincial contributor to the gross domestic product (GDP), according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.
Laguna accounted for 4.9 percent of the nation’s GDP and ranked first among provinces in the industry sector with a 10.1 percent share. In services, Laguna also led with a three percent contribution. The province’s per capita GDP reached P294,388 in 2023, surpassing the Calabarzonregional average of P182,731.
It also became the first province in Calabarzon to surpass P1 trillion in GDP.
Laguna Gov. Ramil Hernandez, who took office in 2014, attributes this success to his Serbisyong Tama program, which prioritizes the delivery of basic social services. Over half of the province’s annual budget has been allocated to various forms of assistance, including financial, medical and burial support.
Hernandez has also championed education through the Iskolar ng Laguna program. Beneficiaries grew from 3,000 in 2015 to 20,000 by 2023.
To boost livelihood opportunities, the provincial governor launched the Ratsada Hanapbuhay program, offering free training in meat processing, detergent-making, handicrafts and non-bake food production.
Between 2014 and 2023, 36,048 beneficiaries participated in these livelihood trainings across Laguna’s four districts.
Additional initiatives include TUPAD, which focuses on emergency employment and community improvement projects, and the Youth Entrepreneurship Program aimed at equipping young people with business skills.
In health care, the Serbisyong Tama Caravan provides free medical check-ups, vaccines, ECGs and laboratory tests. Laguna residents benefit from the Blue Card health program, which offers free treatment at district hospitals.
By 2023, 386,125 residents had Blue Cards.
From 2014 to 2023, over P1 billion was spent on medical assistance, including chemotherapy, dialysis, medicines and hospital bills. Other programs provided assistive devices for people with disabilities and senior citizens, emergency shelter support, transportation and burial assistance.
Hernandez also streamlined health care services through the Serbisyong Tama Action Center and established helpdesks in district hospitals. A Women’s Wellness Center is also in development.
In his decade in office, Hernandez oversaw the completion of 14,636 infrastructure projects, including multi-purpose halls, covered courts, evacuation centers, school buildings, hospital facilities and a vast network of roads, farm-to-market routes, post-harvest facilities and irrigation canals.
Laguna has likewise excelled in fiscal management, maintaining peace and order and environmental protection.
Hernandez, however, said much needs to be done. He has prioritized several major projects, constructing the Calamba-to-Bay viaduct to ease traffic congestion, establishing the Laguna Regional Hospital for advanced health care services, and developing a comprehensive tourism plan that includes a Heritage, Cultural and Trade Center and an agro-industrial park.
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