A book published by the Freelance Writers’ Guild of the Philippines (FWGP) and supported by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) has been selected as a finalist for the Best Book on Professions at the 2024 National Book Awards.
Titled “The Written Property: A Freelance Writer’s Guide to Copyright” and edited by FWGP Founder Imelda Morales and private practitioner Mark Robert Dy, the book was launched in 2023 with the aim to answer several burning questions that freelance writers and publishers have on copyright. It laid out the basics of copyright law, the nature of protected works and derivative works and the steps to take against copyright infringers.
The book was part of the projects that IPOPHL’s Bureau of Copyright and Related Rights (BCRR) supported under its Copyright Plus Program in 2023. The program aims to empower underserved communities and groups through greater awareness about intellectual property (IP). It was developed as part of IPOPHL’s efforts to bridge awareness gaps found in a survey project it implemented in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organization.
The baseline survey, which aimed to measure Filipinos’ level of IP awareness, showed that 85% of 1,000 respondents interviewed for the Digital Goods Category said that they definitely do not know the word “intellectual property” or are unsure whether they know it.
IPOPHL Director General Rowel S. Barba lauded the nomination, calling it an opportunity to heighten the awareness of the book’s existence which comes amid the burgeoning gig economy in the country.
According to Payoneer’s 2019 Global Gig Economy Index, the Philippines ranked sixth in the world as the fastest-growing market which saw a 35% growth in freelance earnings.
“The fast-growing gig economy necessitates freelancers to know what works fall under their ownership and where to draw the lines in licensing contracts to ensure they earn enough to keep doing what they do. Many claim they’ve chosen the path of freelancing to gain greater control of their time. Through this book, ‘The Written Property,’ freelancers can be more confident and efficient in protecting their copyright, allowing them more time to focus on their creative endeavors and less time figuring out how to deal with infringers,” Barba said.
BCRR Director Emerson G. Cuyo urged freelance writers to take the time to read the book, assuring that it is packaged in the “most concise and understandable manner” as it is FWGP’s writers and freelancers themselves who wrote the book.
“I call it the go-to reference on copyright for our freelance writers and authors. Readers will be sure to find themselves informed, entertained and, probably, even reminded of situations in their freelancing career when they used to be clueless on what to do with their works, what their rights are. Now, they could worry less with the wealth of knowledge this book has to offer,” Cuyo added. An e-book version could be accessed for pre-order for P199 here or a print copy for P600 here.
