WHO IS responsible to collect royalties of musicians, composers, arrangers, lyricists and other stakeholders in the lawful use of their creations?
Is it the singer? How about the composer or perhaps the arranger? Maybe the producer — or at the very least the talent manager?
The question has been cropping up from time to time particularly in the recent event when music icon Jose Mari Chan revealed about non-payment in an interview during the presscon of his forthcoming concert “Afterglow: Seasons of the Heart.”
According to Jose Mari, he hasn’t been receiving royalties for his compositions, renditions and recordings of his music.
In an article published in ABS-CBN News online written by MJ Felipe uploaded on Tuesday and updated Wednesday, Chan said he is sad about the state of royalty earnings among singer-songwriters in the country because he himself has not been given the royalties due him in recent times. “I don’t exactly remember, but I haven’t exactly been receiving royalties anymore from the recording companies,” said Chan.
“I feel frustrated, but more so, I feel frustrated for the young singer-songwriters of this country. What kind of future can they look forward to? You know what I mean? Where can they get their income?”
Joe Mari has been doing music ever since about seven decades ago when he consistently makes and yields hits as well as accolades.
The advent of copyright laws and royalty dues, though, has given artists rights to royalties.
All of a sudden, why is Jose Mari not collecting royalties at this time of his popularity and perennial supremacy at the charts?
A music industry insider, though, clarified Chan’s predicament.
“I think Jose Mari Chan assigned FILSCAP to be his collecting agency that gets royalties from record labels, concert producers, karaoke establishments among others,” said local music industry veteran Tato Malay.
Malay has been with the local Tin Pan Alley for decades as a marketing and promotion honcho of many recording companies in the country.
“Jose Mari is a member of Filipino Society of Composers and Publishers (FILSCAP),” quipped Tato.
After the controversial story came out, Joe Mari clarified that what he meant by not getting royalties is from CDs, cassette tapes and vinyl records which aren’t sold anymore in the market.
He clarified as well that he receives “royalty checks” from streaming platforms.
Chan, who made the song “Christmas in Our Hearts,” a theme song ushering in Christmas season at the start of Ber months in the Philippines, specifically September, has recorded not only pop tunes like “Deep in My Heart,” “Afterglow,” “Please Be Careful with my Heart,” “Constant Change,” “Beautiful Girl,” “I Love You So”, among others but institutional jingles and commercial audio-visual ads as well.
Joe Mari’s concert on July 11, 2026 at the PICC Plenary Hall will also be the platform for several “Your Face Sounds Familiar” winners like Marielle Montellano, JM de la Cerna, Kolette Madelo and the “Tawag ng Tanghalan (TNT)” champion Lyka Estrella.