Optical Media Board
{{short description|Philippine government agency regulating recording media}}
{{Use Philippine English|date=April 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox government agency
| agency_name = Optical Media Board
| nativename =
| seal = Optical_Media_Board_seal.png
| seal_width = 200px
| seal_caption = Official seal
| formed = {{Start date and age|1985|10|5}} (as Videogram Regulatory Board)
{{Start date and age|2004|2|10}} (as Optical Media Board)
| preceding1 = Videogram Regulatory Board
| jurisdiction = Philippines
| headquarters = Scout Limbaga, Diliman, Quezon City
| chief1_name = Jeremy S. Marquez{{Cite news |date=November 22, 2021 |title=Jeremy Marquez appointed new Optical Media Board Chair |url=https://politics.com.ph/2021/11/22/jeremy-marquez-appointed-new-optical-media-board-chair/ |publisher=Politiko.com.ph}}
| chief1_position = Chairman
| chief2_name = Carlo Jolette S. Fajardo{{Cite news |date=May 18, 2021 |title=OMB appoints new Executive Director |url=https://www.facebook.com/OMBgovph/posts/3912479668841006 |access-date=May 22, 2021 |work=Optical Media Board |language=en}}
| chief2_position = Executive Director
| parent_agency = Office of the President of the Philippines
| website = {{URL|https://omb.gov.ph}}
| employees = 54 (2024){{Cite web |last=Department of Budget and Management |title=Staffing Summary Fiscal Year 2025 |url=https://www.dbm.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/Staffing/STAFFING2025/STAFFING-SUMMARY-2025.pdf |access-date=April 24, 2025}}
}}
The Optical Media Board (OMB), formerly known as the Videogram Regulatory Board (VRB), is a Philippine government agency that is part of the Office of the President of the Philippines, responsible for regulating the production, use and distribution of recording media in the Philippines.
Background
The Optical Media Board was formed on October 5, 1985, by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 1987 as the Videogram Regulatory Board (VRB).{{cite news|url=https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1985/10/05/presidential-decree-no-1987-s-1985/|title=Presidential Decree No. 1987, s. 1985|website=Official Gazette|date=October 5, 1985|accessdate=November 2, 2020}}{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
On April 17, 2001, the VRB was transferred from the Office of the President to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).{{cite news|url=https://www.philstar.com/business/2001/04/18/95817/videogram-board-now-under-dti|title=Videogram board now under DTI|newspaper=PhilStar|date=April 18, 2001|accessdate=November 6, 2020}}
Under Republic Act No. 9239 signed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on February 10, 2004, the Videogram Regulatory Board was transferred back to the Office of the President and renamed and reorganized as the Optical Media Board (OMB) in response to the increasing popularity of Video CD and DVD players in the country during the early 2000s, and consequently the widespread piracy of optical media such as CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs.{{Cite web|title=Republic Act No. 9239|url=https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2004/02/10/republic-act-no-9239|date=February 10, 2004|access-date=November 6, 2020|website=Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines|archive-date=June 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210613163323/https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2004/02/10/republic-act-no-9239/|url-status=dead}} It has conducted numerous raids on flea market stalls and similar establishments selling bootleg media including pirated CDs and DVDs.{{Cite news|title=Anti-piracy group raids companies in Cavite, Laguna|work=Interaksyon|publisher=TV5 Network|url=http://www.interaksyon.com/infotech/anti-piracy-group-raids-companies-allegedly-using-unlicensed-software-in-cavite-laguna|access-date=August 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313031314/http://www.interaksyon.com/infotech/anti-piracy-group-raids-companies-allegedly-using-unlicensed-software-in-cavite-laguna|archive-date=March 13, 2016}}{{cite web|url=https://omb.gov.ph/news/|title=News|website=Optical Media Board|accessdate=May 1, 2019|archive-date=May 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190513095954/http://omb.gov.ph/news/|url-status=dead}}
History
In the early 2000s, raids by the VRB on illegal video establishments increased under the chairmanship of actor Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr., who lead a strict anti-piracy campaign nationwide.{{cite news|last=Bautista|first=Mario E.|title=In fighting form|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=z29hAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GAsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6300%2C2779260|access-date=February 21, 2022|work=Manila Standard|publisher=Kamahalan Publishing Corp.|date=July 27, 2002|page=20}}{{cite news|last=Gamos|first=Ben|title=Warehouse yields fake VCDs worth P800m|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3o8VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yQoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6663%2C2254233|access-date=January 30, 2002|work=Manila Standard|publisher=Kamahalan Publishing Corp.|date=August 21, 2002|location=Meycauayan, Bulacan|page=4}}{{cite news|last=Clapano|first=Jose Rodel|title=The new faces at the Senate|url=https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2004/07/05/256410/new-faces-senate|access-date=January 30, 2022|work=Philstar.com|publisher=Philstar Global Corp.|date=July 5, 2004}}
List of chairpersons
References
{{reflist}}