Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers

FILSCAP (Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, Inc.) is a non-stock, non-profit collective management organization based in Quezon City that administers public performance, mechanical reproduction, and synchronization rights for approximately 1,900 Filipino composers, lyricists, and music publishers. Founded on May 14, 1965, it is the only government-accredited CMO authorized to license the public performance of copyrighted music in the Philippines, with a repertoire covering over 40 million local and international musical works.

How FILSCAP Works

FILSCAP operates under accreditation from the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) as the country's sole collective management organization for music creators. It has been a CISAC member since January 1, 1986 (CISAC Code 32), giving it reciprocal representation agreements with over 50 foreign societies including ASCAP, BMI, and CASH (Composers and Authors Society of Hong Kong).

The organization licenses music usage across three rights categories:

• Public performance rights: Covers live music at concerts, background music in restaurants, retail stores, hotels, gyms, and other venues. FILSCAP issues blanket licenses to businesses that play copyrighted music publicly.
• Mechanical reproduction rights: Covers the reproduction of musical works on physical formats (CDs, vinyl) and digital downloads.
• Synchronization rights: Covers the use of musical compositions in films, television shows, advertisements, and other audiovisual media.

When a business in the Philippines plays copyrighted music, FILSCAP collects license fees and distributes them to its members based on usage reports. For foreign works performed in the Philippines, FILSCAP collects on behalf of its 50+ affiliate societies and remits the royalties to them. Conversely, when Filipino works are performed abroad, those affiliate societies collect royalties and send them back to FILSCAP for distribution to its members.

FILSCAP uses an internationally recognized system of recording where songs played on radio and television stations are logged and matched to their respective copyright holders. The organization follows CISAC distribution rules, with royalties allocated based on actual usage data from licensees.

Real-World Example

A Filipino songwriter registers 15 original compositions with FILSCAP. A Manila radio station plays 6 of those songs in a given quarter, a Quezon City restaurant holds a blanket license covering background music, and a television network uses 2 songs in a drama series soundtrack.

FILSCAP collects license fees from all three sources. The radio station's usage logs show which songs were played and how often. The restaurant pays an annual blanket fee that covers all music played on its premises. The television network pays a synchronization fee for the songs used in the drama series.

The songwriter receives a royalty distribution based on the frequency and type of use. If the same songs are played on radio in the United States, FILSCAP's affiliate society ASCAP collects those royalties and remits them to FILSCAP, which then distributes them to the songwriter in the next distribution cycle.

For non-ticketed concerts and events, FILSCAP's standard rates include a minimum fee of P10,000 per concert and P5,000 per other event. The organization has offered preferential licensing terms through agreements with local government leagues, with annual blanket fees ranging from P6,000 to P10,000 depending on city classification.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

If you are a Filipino songwriter, composer, or publisher, FILSCAP membership is the only practical way to collect performance, mechanical, and synchronization royalties for your works in the Philippines. Without it, you would need to individually license every radio station, television network, restaurant, and venue that plays your music.

Membership requires assigning your performing, mechanical, and synchronization rights to FILSCAP for collective management. Once registered, submit your song registrations with correct metadata, split shares, and ISRC codes so your works can be matched to usage data. Accurate metadata speeds up your payments.

For non-Filipino artists, FILSCAP matters if your music is performed in the Philippines. Your home PRO should collect from FILSCAP through reciprocal agreements. However, some smaller PROs and publishing administrators may not have direct relationships with FILSCAP, so verify with your PRO that Philippine collections are covered.

FILSCAP continues to push for music licensing compliance across the Philippines. In June 2026, the organization actively campaigned for businesses to secure proper licenses, noting that many establishments play copyrighted music without authorization. This enforcement benefits all rights holders whose works generate revenue in the Philippine market.

Territory Covered

FILSCAP covers the entire territory of the Philippines. It is the only government-accredited collective management organization authorized by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) to license the public performance of copyrighted music across all regions of the country. This includes radio and television stations, cable networks, streaming platforms, concert venues, restaurants, retail stores, hotels, gyms, cinemas, and commercial establishments operating within Philippine territory.

How to Join and Membership Fees

FILSCAP offers membership to composers, lyricists, and music publishers. The membership process and fees differ by category:

For composers and lyricists:

• Admission/processing fee: P300
• Annual membership fee: P300 (payable within 60 days upon admission)
• Requirements: Deed of Assignment assigning public performance and communication rights to FILSCAP, proof that at least one original composition has been commercially recorded, publicly performed at least 3 times in the last 12 months in a FILSCAP-licensed venue, broadcast on a FILSCAP-licensed station, or made available on a FILSCAP-licensed digital platform

For publishers:

• Admission/processing fee: P1,000
• Annual membership fee: P1,500 (payable within 60 days upon admission)
• Requirements: SEC Registration Certificate (for corporations), Articles of Incorporation, By-Laws, BIR Registration Certificate, TIN, current Business and Mayor's Permits, Board Resolution authorizing company representative, Deed of Assignment, Declaration of Works, and government-issued ID of the company representative

Applicants must demonstrate that their original compositions have been publicly performed, broadcast, or made available on digital platforms. Once admitted, members assign their performing, mechanical, and synchronization rights to FILSCAP for collective management.

Overhead Rate

FILSCAP deducts operational expenses and allocates funds for socio-cultural projects from collected licence fees before distributing the remainder to rights holders. The organization states that nearly all revenues generated from licensing are returned to rights holders after these deductions. Interest earned from public performance licence fees is used for the operational expenses of the society. FILSCAP follows CISAC distribution rules, with royalties allocated based on actual usage data from licensees.

Royalty Distribution Schedule

FILSCAP distributes public performance licence fees on an annual basis, with distributions split across multiple categories throughout the year:

• May: Foreign Royalties
• July: Live Concerts
• July and December: Royalties from Digital Service Providers (DSPs)
• October: TV and Cable
• December: General Users

Royalties are allocated into five pools: Foreign Royalties, Live Concerts, DSP Royalties, TV and Cable, and General Users. The allocation within each pool is based on a Points Awards Table and a General Distribution Template that considers monitoring data from licensees, society-conducted monitoring, and member-submitted monitoring data.

Reciprocal Agreements

FILSCAP has been a CISAC member since January 1, 1986 (CISAC Code 32). Through this membership, it maintains reciprocal representation agreements with over 50 foreign societies, including:

• ASCAP (USA)
• BMI (USA)
• PRS (United Kingdom)
• KOMCA (South Korea)
• CASH (Composers and Authors Society of Hong Kong)

These agreements allow FILSCAP to license over 40 million local and international musical works. When Filipino works are performed abroad, the affiliate society in that country collects royalties and remits them to FILSCAP for distribution to members. Conversely, when foreign works are performed in the Philippines, FILSCAP collects on behalf of the foreign society and remits the royalties.

Notable Members

FILSCAP's membership includes many of the Philippines' most prominent songwriters and composers:

• Rico Blanco: Singer-songwriter, former Rivermaya frontman, and president of FILSCAP
• Ryan Cayabyab: National Artist for Music, prolific composer and songwriter
• Jim Paredes: Singer-songwriter and member of APO Hiking Society
• Vehnee Saturno: Prolific songwriter and hitmaker
• Lito Camo: Commercial songwriter known for numerous OPM hits
• Pablo (SB19): Main songwriter of P-pop group SB19, honored as one of FILSCAP's top five composers
• Trina Belamide: Singer-songwriter, first Asian composer to win a top prize at the USA Songwriting Competition, FILSCAP board member for over two decades
• Heber Bartolome (1948 to 2021): Folk and rock singer-songwriter, founder of Banyuhay
• Alice Doria-Gamilla: Composer of the first million-selling Philippine recording "A Million Thanks to You"

Comparison Table

Videos

Similar PROs

• COMPASS - Composers and Authors Society of Singapore, serving a similar Southeast Asian market
• MACP - Music Authors' Copyright Protection Berhad, Malaysia's performing rights society
• JASRAC - Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers, the largest PRO in Asia
• APRA AMCOS - Australasian Performing Right Association, serving the Asia-Pacific region

Related Resources

• Performing Rights Organizations (PRO) - What a PRO is and how it functions
• Performance Royalties - How performance royalties are generated and collected
• Mechanical Royalties - How mechanical royalties work alongside performance royalties
• Blanket License - The licensing model used by FILSCAP
• Collective Management Organization (CMO) - How CMOs operate globally
• FILSCAP Official Website - Visit FILSCAP for membership and licensing information
• Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to estimate your digital earnings