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Written By: Gishan Das

Gishan Das

Gishan Das is a dedicated graduate with academic backgrounds in History and Political Science and practical experience in journalism and digital content creation. He completed his History Honours from Serampore College under the University of Calcutta and Political Science Honours from Indira Gandhi National Open University in 2025. His academic credentials are supported by professional certifications including a B2 level Certification in French language, NISM Financial Education certification in collaboration with the Aditya Birla Group alongside Gishan has strong expertise in journalism, news research and SEO-based content writing. He has demonstrated skills in news analysis, fact-checking, headline creation, digital storytelling and search-optimized reporting, which are also reflected in the journalism and media skills

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September 10, 2026 00:34 GMT+5:30

In its effort to promote the link between music, tourism, and Filipino culture, the Philippines Department of Tourism (DOT) is working towards implementing a new five-year arrangement that will help make licensed music usage easier for all accredited tourism establishments. Pursuant to the agreement, accredited tourism establishments by the DOT shall be entitled to enjoy discounts on their license fee for using music recordings in their business activities, including those recorded in the Philippines.

The MOU has been executed on 3 September 2026 between the DOT and Philippines Recorded Music Rights, Inc. (PRM). This five-year arrangement shall take effect until 1 June 2031 and seeks to enhance the legal use of recorded music in all tourism establishments as well as increasing the awareness about the necessity of obtaining licenses for music usage.

New Agreement Promotes Legal Music Use Across Philippine Tourism Establishments

The agreement focuses on encouraging DOT-accredited tourism businesses to comply with music licensing requirements when recorded music is used commercially. Music can form an important part of the atmosphere within hotels, restaurants, resorts and other tourism establishments. The new partnership seeks to ensure that such use respects the legal rights of artists, performers and sound recording producers.

Under Republic Act No. 8293, known as the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, copyright and related rights are recognised and protected, including rights associated with the public use of sound recordings and recorded performances. The agreement therefore provides tourism businesses with a clearer pathway towards lawful music use while offering discounted licensing rates. For the tourism industry, the initiative combines regulatory compliance with cultural promotion, creating an opportunity to support the Philippine music ecosystem while enhancing visitor experiences.

PRM Brings Collective Music Rights Management to Tourism Businesses

Philippines Recorded Music Rights, Inc. (PRM) is a registered and accredited Collective Management Organisation (CMO) with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines. The organisation is authorised to collectively administer, license and enforce the economic rights of its members, including sound recording producers and performers. Its involvement in the agreement provides a structured mechanism through which eligible tourism establishments can obtain appropriate permissions for using recorded music in their business activities.

The partnership also increases awareness among tourism enterprises about the importance of respecting intellectual property rights. For artists and recording companies, effective licensing helps ensure that commercial use of music is properly recognised within the legal framework. For tourism businesses, the discounted arrangement can make compliance more practical while allowing them to continue incorporating music into their operations.

Filipino Music Becomes Important Part of Tourism Destination Promotion

The agreement also supports the DOT’s mandate to promote the Filipino Brand by showcasing the country’s culture and creative industries. Music represents an important expression of Filipino identity and can help international visitors develop a deeper connection with the country. Tourism establishments provide natural platforms for introducing travellers to Filipino music through restaurants, hotels, resorts and other visitor experiences.

The DOT aims to use these environments to promote Filipino cultural and artistic expressions as part of the overall tourism journey. Music can create memorable associations with destinations and complement other elements of Filipino tourism, including cuisine, festivals, heritage and hospitality. The new partnership therefore has significance beyond licensing. It creates another mechanism for bringing Filipino creative content into the visitor experience.

BINI and SB19 Strengthen Philippines Music-Led Tourism Promotion

The Philippines is also using internationally recognised Filipino musical talent to support its tourism promotion strategy. Earlier in 2026, the DOT appointed BINI and SB19 as the country’s newest Tourism Ambassadors, reflecting the government’s belief that music can help promote the Philippines as a destination. Both groups have strong connections with the country’s contemporary music industry, and their respective music labels are members of PRM.

Their appointment demonstrates how the Philippines is increasingly connecting popular culture and destination marketing to reach domestic and international audiences. Music can help introduce younger travellers to Filipino culture while creating new channels for destination storytelling. The use of prominent Filipino artists also supports the country’s efforts to present a modern and culturally distinctive image to international visitors.

Tourism Businesses Gain Greater Access to Licensed Music

The discounted licensing arrangement is expected to benefit a wide range of DOT-accredited tourism enterprises. Hotels, resorts, restaurants and other tourism businesses can use music to create atmosphere, support entertainment and enhance guest experiences. By providing discounted rates, the agreement aims to encourage more establishments to formalise their music licensing arrangements.

Greater compliance can benefit the broader creative economy by ensuring that musicians, performers and recording producers receive recognition for the commercial use of their work. It also gives tourism operators an opportunity to integrate more Filipino recordings into their businesses while remaining within the applicable intellectual property framework. This creates a potential connection between tourism spending and the wider creative sector.

Five-Year Partnership Connects Tourism With Philippine Creative Economy

Their agreement will remain in effect until 1 June 2031, giving the DOT and PRM a long-term framework for cooperation. The extended timeframe provides opportunities to build greater awareness of music licensing across the tourism sector and encourage wider use of Filipino recordings.

It also reflects the growing recognition that tourism and creative industries can reinforce each other. Tourism provides audiences for local cultural products, while music and other creative expressions can enrich the visitor experience. The partnership creates a structured opportunity to bring these sectors together while maintaining respect for intellectual property rights.

Music Strengthens the Philippines’ Cultural Tourism Offering

The new DOT-PRM agreement demonstrates how the Philippines is broadening its approach to tourism promotion by integrating music and creative culture into the visitor experience. Lawful music use can support artists and recording producers while giving tourism establishments access to a wider range of content. At the same time, the involvement of Filipino musicians and performers can help strengthen the country’s cultural identity in international tourism markets.

The appointment of BINI and SB19 as Tourism Ambassadors further demonstrates the potential of music to reach audiences beyond conventional tourism marketing. Together, these initiatives create stronger links between hospitality, cultural expression and destination branding.

Philippines Strengthens Tourism Through Culture, Compliance and Creative Partnerships

The agreement between the Department of Tourism and the Philippines Recorded Music Rights is an important milestone for the tourism and creative industries of the country. Through its provisions for discount prices for music licensing for accredited DOT establishments, the collaboration promotes proper music utilization as well as protects the interests of the performers and the producers of the sound recordings. It is consistent with the DOT’s plan to promote Filipino culture through its tourism programs.

With the increasing use of Filipino music for destination promotion, the collaboration creates a way for the tourism industry to be involved. The agreement will, therefore, help develop the link between tourism, music, intellectual property and the Filipino culture.

Image Source: Ministry of Tourism, Cambodia