Decoders capable of receiving the Indonesian pay-TV service Indovision are illegally bringing the 23-channel platform to about 100,000 homes in the Philippines.
Medium and small-sized Philippine cable operators are installing the decoder boxes bought in Indonesia and piping the channels to subscribers.
Although they are paying fees to an Indonesian middleman, international companies supplying channels to Indovision such as Hong Kong's Star TV and movie channel HBO are concerned at what they regard as blatant piracy by the cable companies.
No complaints have yet been made to the authorities in the Philippines, but last year Star TV took out notices in Manila newspapers warning of legal action after a Manila-based company advertised Indovision boxes for sale.