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. 

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 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