MANILA -- Commission on Elections chairman George Garcia reminded all candidates for the upcoming 2025 National and Local Elections (NLE) to respect the intellectual property rights of all Filipino artists in using their songs for their campaign jingles. 

Garcia made this statement after local band Lola Amour complained on social media that their song “Raining in Manila” is being used by candidates in their jingles without their consent.

"This happened before and I guess it’s happening again: All of the campaign jingles using our songs do not have our consent. Vote wisely,” Lola Amour wrote in their X account.

Garcia said the commission had an agreement with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) to protect the intellectual property rights of an artist.

Garcia said the commission is willing to act immediately if somebody will file a formal complaint against a candidate.  

“Huwag nanakawin ang akda or huwag nanakawin ang tugtug ng iba or ang mismong lyrics ng iba. ‘Wag natin gawin yan sapagkay kaawa-awa naman mga artista Pilipino na nagpapakahirap. Intellectual property nila yan. Sabi namin, basta may complain sa amin, kaagad naming aaksyunan yan. Sana po doon sa bansa na nagrereklamo na ang kanilang akda ay nagamit, sana po ay mai-complain, maibato kaagad sa amin yung complaint para makapag-coordinate kami at para mabigyan kaagad ng karampatang notice yung gumagamit nito,” Garcia told the media.

“Paano pa natin masasabi sa mga kababayan natin na matino tayo kung may mga ganyan na ginagamit natin yung hindi naman pala sa atin,” he added.

According to Garcia, the commission will presume that the candidates have the full knowledge or consent in every campaign jingle they will use or even their supporters.

“We will presume na sila ang may akda niyan, alam nila yan, kanila yan then therefore gumawa sila ng paraan. They apologize dun sa mismong author o sa mismong composer and at the same time, huwag sila sa amin magpaliwanag - doon sa IPOPHL (Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines ) kasi meron tayong intellectual property na nilalabag, hindi naman po yan paglabag lang sa election law - paglabag po yan sa iba pang batas,” he explained.

“Ang accountable dito kung sino yung kandidato mas maganda na ganyan ang approach ng Comelec,” Garcia added.