T’NALAK TAU SEBU COLLECTIVE TRADEMARK REGISTERED IN IPOPHL

Official Mark/Seal of T'nalak Tau Sebu

IPOPHL grants and awards the Collective Mark Certificate of Registration to T’nalak Tau Sebu (TTS).  The “T’nalak Tau Sebu” or “Lake SebuT’nalak” refers to T’nalak hand woven by the people of Lake Sebu. These terms are also reserved, as are their equivalent in any translation.The Collective Mark Certificate of Registration is evidence of ownership of the mark by the T'nalak Tau Sebu group.  It also serves as an essential element of the promotions, the guarantee of quality and the traceability of the T’nalak product as was presented during the T’nalak Festival celebration last 18 July 2017 in Koronadal, South Cotabato as one of the provincial’s events highlights.  Officials of other government agencies were also present to witness the awarding.

From left to Right: DTI Director Daisy Fuentes, IPOPHL Director Leny Raz,
South Cotabato Governor Flora Gabunales, Lake Sebu Mayor Antonio Fungan,
and TTS Officials

The Director of the Bureau of Trademarks, Atty. Leny B. Raz presented the Certificate of Registration of the Collective Trademark to the Provincial Officials of South Cotabato and the 9 member organizations and Officers of TTS namely: Lake Sebu Indigenous Women Association, Inc. (LASIWWAI); LibunHulungMatul (LHM); Lang Dulay Weaving Center; Kendengen T'boliS’bu Association; KlowilKemLibun Organization, Inc. (KLOWIL); Cooperative of Women in Health and Development, Inc. (COWHED); Klowil Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Inc. (KLOWIL MPC); School of Living Tradition (SLT); and Yab Man Weaving Center Organization. 
Looking back on the heritage of the T’nalak Tau Sebu Inc. members, mostly Tboli women, are popularly known for their hand-woven fabrics with unique and intricate designs crafted based on the weaver’s dream, which is interpreted with spiritual meanings.  Remarkably, the women weavers knotting the fibers and laying out the design have no pattern or sketch by which to copy from.  Each T’nalak design represents a story connected to their life, culture, tradition, respect for tribal Gods, and for the preservation of T'boli Tribe heritage since time immemorial.
TTS members have undergone various training and seminars and came up with the Code of Practice that will guide all the members in maintaining the authentic and excellent quality of T’nalak fabrics with raw materials indigenous to the Philippines’.  Tools were developed to register cloths submitted, to evaluate their quality, and provide the quality seal.  Down-stream traceability is done through a code system for each T’nalak Cloth or Fabric from the Abaca Collectors, to the weavers, and to the 8 trading organizations will be guaranteed by paper trails.  The association will issue certifications per roll that will include roll traceability serial numbers and traceability seals that will need to be attached to the final products.  The website www.tnalak.org developed in 2016 is the digital platform to register and promote all produced T’nalak fabrics by the TTS Federation Members.
IPOPHL continue to encourage MSMEs and Indigenous Peoples to register their product brand as a business tool to become globally competitive and to earn more from their intellectual property as one of their intangible assets. For more information about trademark registrations, visit www.ipophil.gov.ph. 

Integrated Marketing Communications of IPOPHL in 2016

IPOPHL IMC 2016

Click on the link above to access the iBook.

Congratulations IDTD!

Thank you so much to the Brave and Bold Team of Information Dissemination and Training Division of IPOPHL.

Sincere appreciation for the full support from other IPOPHL Bureaus who helped and assisted in making all our projects successful.

IPOPHL GRANTS GUIMARAS’ MANGO COLLECTIVE TRADEMARK REGISTRATION

IPOPHL Bureau of Trademarks Director Leny B. Raz (standing on left beside the GI Seal) with Guimaras Provincial Officials and the GMGPDC Officers.

The Director of the Bureau of Trademarks, Atty. Leny B. Raz presented the Certificate of Registration of the Collective Trademark to the Province of Guimaras and the Guimaras Mango Growers and Producers Development Cooperative (GMGPDC) during the inauguration and opening ceremonies of the 25^th Manggahan Festival last May 11, 2017 at Jordan, Guimaras.

 The Unveiling of the Guimaras Quality Seal was graced by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) OIC Regional Director Rebecca M. Rascon, Guimaras Governor Samuel T. Gumarin, M.D., Guimaras Vice Governor John Edward Gando, Intellectual Property Satellite Office (IPSO) - Iloilo Field Operations Specialist Marianne Tajanlangit-Bebit and various Guimaras provincial officials and staff.

GMGPDC, represented by its Chairperson, Mrs. Rosario Griesser sought the registration of this quality mark in order to protect the specific qualities and reputation of Guimaras mangoes.

The cooperative’s officers and members together with the Provincial Economic Development Office chaired by Miss Elena V. Quezon and the Provincial Office of Agricultural Services as supervised by Mr. Ronnie Morante, have undergone various training and seminars under IPOPHLand came up with the Code of Practice that will guide the members in maintaining the excellent quality of the mangoes produced in the province. It will also serve as their standard of practice in safeguarding its reputation of having the sweetest and excellent export-quality fresh mangoes in the country. 

For the past years, IPOPHL certified various Geographical Indications: the Bonoan Bangus in Pangasinan, the T'nalak of Lake Sebu in South Cotabato, the Lumban Barong Tagalog in Quezon Province, the Davao Pomelo, the Batangas Barako Coffee, the Kalinga Coffee, the Mindoro Calamansi,  and the Cebu Dried Mangoes.  The IPOPHL continues assistance and  IP capacity building seminars for certifications of Geographical Indications as a Collective Mark that aims sustainable historical economic contribution and at the same time to protect the identity of each product.

Visit www.ipophil.gov.ph for more details about Geographical Indications and Collective Marks.

words:  Marianne Tajanlangit-Bebit, IPSO Ilo-Ilo

IPOPHL L.E.A.P. I.P. Roadshow Kicks Off in Makati and Manila Government Offices

Learn.. be Empowered.. Adopt.. and Profit from Intellectual Property (L.E.A.P. I.P.) is the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines’ (IPOPHL) sustainable program to provide information and creating awareness about the benefits and advantages of owning and protecting an invention Patent, a brand/Trademark, or an original literary work Copyright.

The IPOPHL recently kicked off its first leg of the L.E.A.P. I.P. Roadshow for the Local Government Units (LGU), benefitting more than a hundred government employees from the Makati and Manila City Offices for knowledge advancement about Intellectual Property Rights. IPOPHL collaborated with the cities’ Office of the Mayors, Business Permits and Licensing offices (BPLO) together with the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) Officials to make the activity possible last 21-22 November 2016.  The L.E.A.P.I.P. for LGU Roadshow is aimed to assist the employees on the implementation of their IP Ordinance through information dissemination, protection, and enforcement. IPOPHL Deputy Director General Allan B. Gepty gave the opening remarks and with selected IPOPHL Speakers, provided the participants with insights and overview of the IP System in the Philippines, its economic contribution, and the major role of the LGUs in the promotion, protection, and enforcement of IP rights.

The Makati City Office of the Mayor Senior Advisor Atty. Violeta Somera-Seva, BPLO Head Atty. Mirabert Q. Pagente, and SP City Secretary Atty. Dindo R. Cervantes enjoined the Makati City employees for a whole day IP seminar.  On the other hand, Manila City Councilor Joel M. Par and Licensing Office Chief John Sangalang made the whole day seminar actively participated by the License Examiners as well as the Business Permit Front liners under the directorship of Atty. Fortune O. Mayuga. 

The IPOPHL is scheduled to hold its next legs of the roadshow in other LGUs within Metro Manila before the yearend while other regions nationwide will follow suit in 2018.  For more information about other L.E.A.P. I.P. seminars, visit www.ipophil.gov.ph.

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IPOPHL Launches New Electronic Filing System

IPOPHL Launches New Electronic Filing System

       

Stakeholders tried out filing online, standing at back portion

The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) launched its new electronic filing system known as the IPOPHL TM eFile as part of the World IP Day Celebrations, which started on 23 April, with the Celebration of the World Book and Copyright Day. 

Director Leny B. Raz

The IPOPHL eTMfile allows the online filing of new trademark applications 24/7 and is linked to three different payment channels. With IPOPHL eTMfile, applicants and IP agents need not go to the IPOPHL to file trademark applications.   

IPOPHL eTMfile is one of the new initiatives of Director General Josephine Rima-Santiago, who assumed the top IPOPHL post less than six months ago, to modernize the eServices for use by IPOPHL stakeholders. 

Director General Josephine R. Santiago

According to Director General Santiago, “the IPOPHL began enhancing its IT systems with the deployment of the Industrial Property Automation System (IPAS) as the new back office system for patents and trademarks in 2012.  Now, we are focusing on tools that will modernize electronic transactions with the IPOPHL, starting with the new IPOPHL eTMfile.”

The IPOPHL eTMfile is linked to two other tools—ASEAN TMclass, which makes the classification of goods and services much easier, and National IPOPHL TMview, allowing the generation of preliminary search reports that applicants may use as reference prior to filing.  IPOPHL eTMfile also has another new feature, which makes possible the submission of documents, such as the special power of attorney, request for priority examination, and declaration of actual use, together with the online application. 

IPOPHL eTMfile is a system developed in collaboration with EU-ASEAN Project on IP Rights (ECAP III Phase II), a project being administered by the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).

As lead for both information technology and trademarks under the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC), the IPOPHL has been collaborating closely with the ECAP III Project for the adaptation of IT tools that could be used not only by the Philippines, but also by other ASEAN IP Offices. 

Director General Santiago said further, “the IPOPHL eTMfile is the first of two eServices tools that we are deploying this semester.  Next in the pipeline is the IPOPHL eDOCfile, an advanced electronic filing system for practically all types of trademark documents, including responses, powers of attorney, various types of declarations, assignments, and enables both the IPOPHL and the applicant to digitally sign documents submitted to the Office.”The prototype of the IPOPHL eDOCfile was also presented to stakeholders after the eTMfile launch.

The IPOPHL is the first ASEAN Office to deploy eTMfile and is also expected to be the first to go on production with the eDOCfile in June.

The IPOPHL eTMfile is accessible to all trademark stakeholders beginning today. Log on to: http://121.58.254.39:8080/sp-ui-tmefiling/wizard.htm?execution=e1s1

words:  IPOPHL

Philippine Inventors to Benefit from WIPO's "Inventor Assistance Program" thru IPOPHL

WIPO DDG John Sandage

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the World Economic Forum (WEF) launched its 3^rd Inventor Assistance Program (IAP) in the Philippines as part of their globalization strategies on IP collaborations following the success of Colombia and Morocco on their IAP accession.  Pioneering companies who sponsored the IAP are Novartis, IFIA, and QUALCOMM, benefitting them as well with global patent prosecution and protection. WIPO Deputy Director General for Patents and Technology Sector, Mr. John Sandage, delivered his speech on behalf of WIPO, emphasized the importance of the 3^rd IAP Pilot launch in the Philippines as a developing country with a vibrant local innovations scenario that can be seen by a high number of Innovation and Technology Support Centers nationwide. Mr. Sandage assured that WIPO would continue collaboration with Philippine authorities and the IPOPHL in order to make the IP successful and to help local inventors get Patents.

Mr. Marco Aleman, WIPO Director for Patent Law Division

The launching in the Philippines of the Inventor Assistance Program (IAP) is the culminating event during the National Seminar on Patents and Innovation last 01 March 2016. According to Mr. Marco Aleman, WIPO Acting Director for Patent Law Division, the main objective of the IAP is to spur patenting of inventions by incentivizing local inventors by partnering them with International IP Lawyers and experts for free assistance throughout the patent process/prosecution. IAP as a whole will benefit the inventors, the society in general, Patent Offices, and Patent Attorneys. During the event, various topics related to IAP were presented to more than 300 attendees from the academe, industry associations, government offices, and inventors. 

Topic discussions focused on the Patent System as a Tool for Promoting Innovation as well as the latest Trends and Figures on Patent Filings/Grants on Innovation were presented by Mr. Aleman.  A briefer on the current situation of Innovation in the Philippines and IPOPHL’s support to Innovators were discussed by Atty. Allan B. Gepty, IPOPHL Deputy Director General  for Advocacy, Policy and International Relations.

IAP benefit testimonials from one of the large corporations such as Mr. Corey Salsberg, Novartis International AG Switzerland Head for International IP Policy, attested in giving them more inspiration in providing better medicines, while the role of the Patent Attorney was substantiated by Mr. Alvaro Correa, Partner of Baker‐McKenzie Colombia and is a Member of the IAP Steering Committee.  

ITSOs Representatives from USC and UP with Director Carmen Paralta

Experiences from Philippine Universities and Research Centers on Benefits from Patents were presented by Dr. Danilo Largo, Director of Research and ITSO Manager University of San Carlos and Mr.  Ace Acosta, Senior Technology Transfer Officer, University Research Associate  and ITSO Manager, of the University of the Philippines.  Both universities were able to corroborate highly commercialized inventions through technology transfer and joint venture business partnerships between schools and private entities.  With the launching of the IAP, the Innovation and Technology Support Offices (ITSOs) nationwide will make the program an additional incentive to boost IP commercialization.  The Technology and Innovation Support Centers  (TISC), with a local counterpart ITSO, as a global WIPO project was comprehensively discussed by Mr. Andrew Czajkowski, Head, WIPO Innovation and Technology Support Section - Global Infrastructure Sector,  stressing the value of the Patent Information to develop new solutions to technical challenges faced in the country, or adapt existing technologies to suit local conditions.

The Innovation and Technology sectors in the Philippines will expect more global support in the coming years from WIPO and other IP Office partners all over the world.

For more Information on Inventor Assistance Program, visit www.wipo.org

PHILIPPINE JEWELLERY DESIGNER AWARDED IN THE CREATIVE ASEAN JEWELLERY DESIGN COMPETITION 2015

The Creative ASEAN Jewellery Design Competition 2015 Collective Exhibition and Awarding Ceremony, held on September 10-14, 2015 in Bangkok, Thailand is the inaugural creative competition made possible with the cooperation of intellectual property offices of ASEAN member countries under the ASEAN Project on the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights: ECAP III Phase II.

The competition was done in two stages: 1.) The National Phase; and the ASEAN Phase. As in the Philippines, the National Phase of which was organized by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, each participating ASEAN member country, selected 5 top jewellery designs. Each set of top jewellery designs, for that particular country, were deliberated upon by a panel of judges in Thailand. One of these jewellery designs was chosen as the best jewellery design for that country.

The “Serpent” jewellery design by Mrs. Milagros B. Imson was chosen as the best jewellery design from among national entries officially submitted by the Philippines. 

Jewellery design from other participating countries are as follows: “Home Grown” by Ms. Yusrina Abdullah from Brunei Darussalam, “Let It Flow” by Ms. Evi Widjaja from Indonesia, “Champa Flowers and Tamarind Leaves” by Mrs. Chansy Vichitvongsa from Lao PDR, “The Exotica Orchid Collection” by Ms. Farah Izaura Rohaizad from Malaysia, “Red Indian Brooch” by Mr. Okkar Kyaw from Myanmar, “Ever Foliage” by Ms. Achillea Teng Siow Lee from Singapore, “Fairly Fairy” by Ms. Jittrakarn Bunterngpiboon from Thailand, and “Spring of Peace” by Mrs. Tran Thi Hue from Vietnam.  

http://ecap-project.org/news/creative-asean-design-competition-2105

A special award was given to Mrs. Tran Thi Hue’s jewellery design from Vietnam, as the jury was impressed by her creative expression in design, selection of excellent materials, and a high application of innovative approach for the design.

The Top Philippine entries were as follows: Copulation series by Helena Alegre, Besprinkled by Antonio Atienza Jr., Full Bloom and Birdcage by Manuelito Esmane, Serpent and Cleopatra by Milagros Imson.

The Judging and Selection for the National Phase of the Creative ASEAN Jewellery Design Competition 2015 was held on 26 May 2015. 

The following were Jury Panelists (Judges) for the National Phase: Mr. Hans Brumman (jeweller), represented by Mr. Angelino Gabon; Ms. Lulu Tan-Gan (fashion designer); Ms. Myrna Sunico (Executive Director, Design Center of the Philippines), represented by  Mr. Luis Jose Manalang; Arch. Daisy Palattao; and Atty. Nelson P. Laluces (Deputy Director General, IPOPHL).

  

From left to right: DDG Nelson Laluces, Arch. Daisy Palattao, Ms. Minda del Rio of IPOPHL, Ms. Lulu Tan-Gan, Mr. Angelino Gabon, and Mr. Luis Jose Manalang for Executive Director Myrna Sunico. - See more at: http://www.ipophil.gov.ph/index.php/releases/2014-09-22-06-26-21/330-ipophl-identifies-official-ph-entries-to-the-asean-jewellery-design-competition-2#sthash.2tjR3WF0.dpuf

Ms. Maria Luisa Lourdes Unson, President of Sterling Gifts, Inc. and the Philippine Jewellery Business Club Foundation, Inc, was one of the five experts in the competition’s regional jury.

See more at: http://www.ipophil.gov.ph/index.php/releases/2014-09-22-06-26-21/339-intricate-filigree-represents-philippines-in-asean-jewellery-competition-b#sthash.SIBAeZfe.dpuf

words:  Froilan T. Buizon, IPOPHL