OPM band Lola Amour once again spoke out about their hit song “Raining in Manila” being used in campaign jingles without their consent.
The band stated that none of the campaign jingles featuring their song had permission.
“Btw guys, this happened before, and I guess it’s happening again: None of the campaign jingles using our songs have our consent. Vote wisely,” Lola Amour wrote on X, responding to a user who complained about hearing their song in a campaign jingle.
Btw guys, this happened before and I guess it’s happening again: All of the campaign jingles using our songs do not have our consent. Vote wisely 🤣 https://t.co/2kEorljA8g
— LOLA AMOUR 🏖️ (@lolaamourmusic) March 29, 2025
“We will never endorse a candidate we don’t believe in or whose platform we don’t even know,” the band said in a Facebook post on Sunday, March 30.
In October 2023, Lola Amour also clarified that they did not permit their music to be used in campaign jingles after receiving reports of candidates in the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) using their songs.
“Hiii we’ve been receiving videos of some candidates using our songs as their campaign jingles. Just want to clarify that we have NOT agreed to any of those and we are not supporting any candidate for the upcoming Baranggay and SK elections,” the band previously said.
READ: ‘Permission is important’: Lola Amour says their songs used in BSKE without permission
The 90-day campaign period for national candidates began on February 11, while the 45-day campaign period for local candidates commenced last Friday, March 28, ahead of the May 12 midterm polls.
On Monday, March 31, the Commission on Elections encouraged artists to file a formal complaint through the poll body’s Election Information Department if their songs were used without permission in campaign jingles for the 2025 midterm elections.
READ: Comelec urges artists to file raps for song theft in campaign jingles
“Sana po may formal na complaint na maihain sa atin ang banda. Maging basehan ng action namin,” Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said.
In January, the Comelec and the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, signed a memorandum of agreement “to strengthen their commitment to ensure that election candidates comply with intellectual property (IP) laws.”
During the signing of the MOA, Garcia likened copyright infringement to creating a song for loved ones only to be stolen by others for personal gain.
“Ginawa mo, inalay mo sa isang minamahal tapos ninakaw lang para ipambola sa mga botante. Hindi po ba dapat hindi rason ang pangangampanya para lang nakawin ang creation ng iba [You made it, you gave it to a loved one and then someone just steals it to flatter the voters. Shouldn’t campaigning not be a justification to steal someone else’s creation]?” he said.
“Kung ang ordinaryong awitin, likha ng mga talentong Pilipino, ay nanakawin, how much more pa ang kaban ng bayan kapag nakaupo na? Ito ang gusto natin i-emphasize sa kung bakit tayo nakikipag-partner sa IPOPHL. Gusto natin protektahan ang likhang Pinoy [If the ordinary song, created by Filipino talents, is stolen, how much more the public funds once they are seated? This is what we want to emphasize on why we are partnering with IPOPHL. We want to protect Filipino creations],” the Comelec chair added.
Meanwhile, under Republic Act 8293, or the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, artists are entitled to royalties when their work is used for purposes other than its original intent.
— With Rosette Adel
