Optical Media Board
Philippine government agency regulating recording media
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
March 2, 2004 (as Optical Media Board)
- Videogram Regulatory Board
Official seal | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | October 5, 1985 (as Videogram Regulatory Board) March 2, 2004 (as Optical Media Board) |
Preceding agency |
|
| Jurisdiction | Philippines |
| Headquarters | Scout Limbaga, Diliman, Quezon City |
| Employees | 54 (2024)[1] |
Agency executive |
|
Parent agency | Office of the President of the Philippines |
| Website | omb |
Background
The Optical Media Board was formed on October 5, 1985, by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 1987 as the Videogram Regulatory Board (VRB).[2]
On April 17, 2001, the VRB was transferred from the Office of the President to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).[3]
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.[4] It has conducted numerous raids on flea market stalls and similar establishments selling bootleg media including pirated CDs and DVDs.[5][6]
On May 18, 2026, the House Committees on Public Information and on Government Reorganization approved a substitute bill seeking to abolish the Optical Media Board by repealing the Optical Media Act of 2003, or Republic Act No. 9239. The measure follows the Senate’s approval on March 9, 2026 of Senate Bill No. 1654, which likewise seeks to abolish the OMB and transfer its powers and functions to the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines.[7]
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.[8][9][10]
List of chairpersons
| # | Name | Term of office | Previous position | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start | End | |||
| List of Chairperson of Videogram Regulatory Board | ||||
| 1 | Eduardo D. Sazon[11] | unknown | unknown | none |
| 2 | Bernadette C. Fuentes[12][13] | unknown | unknown | none |
| 3 | Gen. Javier D. Carbonell[14][15] | unknown | unknown | none |
| 4 | Enrique M. Montero | unknown | March 2001[16] | none |
| 5 | Brig. Gen. Manuel B. Mariano | March 2001 | May 2002[16] | none |
| 6 | Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. | May 30, 2002 | January 2004[17][18] | Governor of Cavite (1998-2001) |
| List of Chairperson of Optical Media Board | ||||
| 7 | Edu Manzano | February 10, 2004 | August 20. 2009[18][19] | Vice Mayor of Makati (1998-2001) |
| 8 | Ronnie Ricketts | October 21, 2009 | January 29, 2016[20][21] | actor |
| 9 | Anselmo B. Adriano | March 14, 2016 | September 30, 2020[22] | none |
| 10 | Christian Natividad | October 1, 2020 | November 2021[23][24] | Mayor of Malolos (2010-2019; since 2022) |
| 11 | Jeremy Marquez | November 2021[25] | June 30, 2022 | City Councilor, Paranaque |
| 12 | Dennis Lorenzo B. Pinlac | December 13, 2024 | Present | |
