Viva Holdings, Inc. and its 37 subsidiaries became the 105th signatory to the E-Commerce Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen protection of its content and retail products across digital platforms.
Founded in 1981, Viva is a Philippine multinational private conglomerate specializing in content creation, production, marketing and distribution across various media formats including film, music, TV shows and concerts.
Viva also developed one of the first Filipino subscription streaming apps, VMX (Vivamax) and Viva One, which now boasts over 14 million subscribers worldwide. Aside from content, Viva’s subsidiaries also engage in the food business, cosmetics and retail operations.
Code of Practice
Established in 2021, the MOU is facilitated by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), and establishes a voluntary code of practice among e-commerce stakeholders, making it easier to identify and take down infringing goods and content. It is touted as a model of cooperative enforcement, especially valuable in a digital economy where pirated materials can spread in seconds.
Viva Holdings became the first entertainment-driven company to fight piracy and counterfeiting online through the agreement. Other signatories include companies, industry groups, business chambers and platforms.
Protective measure
Vicente “Vic” del Rosario Jr., Chairman and CEO of Viva Communications, said the move will help protect the company’s content assets against piracy which he estimates is threatening 80% of its potential revenue.
“If not for piracy, we could have a bigger budget to create more content for our audience to enjoy, but we’re getting less than what we hope to get. If not for piracy, we could be a formidable creative economy on par with South Korea,” he added.
While he recognized how the streaming business pushed their profits to new record highs, he lamented how the digital age made piracy faster and more sophisticated, requiring innovative strategies to swiftly take down pirated streaming links and hard drives containing massive volumes of Viva content being sold online.
Press release
VIVA becomes first entertainment firm to sign E-Commerce MOU to step up fight against piracy, counterfeiting. Press release. April 15, 2025. The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL)
Why it matters
Closer cooperation with online platforms will be critical to results-driven enforcement and protecting the future of its artists, content creators and managers who drive the growth of the creative economy.
“The more stakeholders we encourage to join the E-Commerce MOU, the more cooperation we have, giving IP rights holder signatories like Viva a more efficient mechanism to protect their content from pirated uploads and streaming, as well as inspire other content creators to take charge of their IP assets,” Director General da Costa-Villaluz added.
IPOPHL sees Viva’s entry into the MOU as a major step forward in encouraging more creatives to protect their intellectual property (IP) rights, thus fueling business growth and unlocking more opportunities for the creative sector.
