Kalinga mulls banning of AI-generated versions of local songs

TABUK CITY, Kalinga — The provincial government of Kalinga is drafting a local law to prohibit the playing of artificial intelligence (AI)-generated local songs across the province.

Kalinga Governor James Edduba stated that the proposed ordinance seeks to protect local composers, musicians, and artists from having their original works compromised by AI technology. The measure is currently in the drafting stage and must undergo standard legislative procedures before implementation.

Recently, concerns were raised by the regional cultural group Dap-ayan ti Kultura ti Kordilyera (DKK) on AI-generated versions of the original songs of DKK's member group.

The group alleged that generative AI was used to remix and monetize indigenous music without authorization.

According to the group, original songs by the Cordilleran musical ensemble Salidummay, including "Danum," "Pagay," and "Balay," were uploaded to the streaming platform under the account name "AI SALIDUMMAY."

Cultural advocates warned that hosting these tracks on major platforms results in the unauthorized commercial exploitation of Cordilleran heritage. The group also stressed that AI-generation of original compositions by local artists is like stealing and will also kill the livelihoods of local artists.