PATENT OWNERS ADVISED TO UPDATE ANNUITIES PAYMENT TO PRESERVE INVENTIONS AND CREATIONS

Patent licensing is an income generating business for intellectual property owners, inventors or research and development facilities which they can use to earn revenues. Royalty fees derived from the license agreements for patents can be maximized within the twenty (20) year legal lifetime of the patent.

A patent owner should consider his patents as part of his major assets. However, patents are intangible assets, but in terms of value, they cannot be belittled. Finding out a patent’s value can be mind-blowing. As such, like any property, e.g. a car that needs to be well maintained or a financial investment that needs to be properly managed, patents also need to be maintained.

The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHIL) has given it’s all out support for the protection of Intellectual Property rights, e.g. the rights of Patent owners. As a government agency, the IPOPHIL works to preserve and protect innovations, inventions, and creations of the Patent owners. With its mandate as a protector of intellectual property rights, the IPOPHIL has continuously improved its services. As an added-value-service, the agency makes sure that the Patent owners would be reminded periodically on payments of annuities to maintain ownership of their respective Patent. Through the years as records show,  it has been observed, that Patent owners fail to maintain ownership of their Patents or Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). It would appear that there are patent owners who simply lose interest or just simply forget to maintain their patents. From year 2012 to 2014, the percentage of lapsed patents was recorded at 29% versus total applications and registered with the Bureau of Patents.

Per IP Code of the Philippines, “If the annual fee is not paid, the patent application shall be deemed withdrawn or the patent shall be considered as lapsed from the day following the expiration of the period within which the annual fee was due.” For those Patent owners who inadvertently neglected to pay for the maintenance service of the IPOPHIL on their Patent, they are provided a grace period. “A grace period of six (6) months shall be granted for the payment of the annual fee, upon payment of the prescribed surcharge for delayed payment.” As such, owners of lapsed Patents due to non-payment of annuity, are given owners ample time to redeem their IPR upon full payment of the required annuity balances and surcharge.

It is important for Patent Owners to realize that when they maintain ownership of said IPR, they can earn income from it in many ways like licensing or franchising, joint venture projects, technology transfer, and even selling the patents itself,  just like selling a Real Estate Property.  As Patent owners, it would be much easier to maintain your patent ownership than feeling sorry for abandoning it. It would be one big missed opportunity when, some time later, you learn that someone else is benefitting from your lost IPR. By then, you can do nothing legally about it.  

Patent Owners are advised to consult or acquire the services of an IP Law Professional or Practitioner in order to learn more on how to maximize your IPR ownership. You may also visit www.ipophil.gov.ph or call 238-6300 for more details about your Patent maintenance, schedule of annuity payments, benefits, and advantages.

words:  Froilan T. Buizon and Maria Minda G. del Rio, IPO DITTB

Young IP Advocates

Young IP Advocates Get Louder Voice; Pioneering Program Lauded by IP Stakeholders 

Manila, PHILIPPINES:  Twenty-one high school students who made the 2^nd Batch of the country’s Young Intellectual Property (IP) Advocates were warmly received at the 4^th Philippine Anti- Counterfeiting and Piracy Summit held last 20 October. Local and foreign guests and IP stakeholders who gracedthe Summit lauded the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) for introducing a program that directly involves young Filipinos in IP education and awareness. 

The 21 high school students came from the Philippine Science High School, Makati Science High School, Taguig Science High School, Muntinlupa Science High School, Manila Science High School, Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) Laboratory High School, and University of Sto. Tomas (UST) High School. The students attended the three-day IP Youth Camp last 24-26 September in Baras, Rizal. Each participating science high school sent three participants. 

In the camp, the students were introduced to the basics of IP and the value of creativity and innovation. They were encouraged to help in the IP awareness and IP protection and enforcement initiatives of the government by sharing the knowledge and values gathered from the camp to their friends, classmates and families. 

The 21 Grades 8 and 9 students from different public and private high schools

 composed the 2^nd Batch of IP Young Advocates.

The 21 students were inducted as IP Young Advocates at the Summit.

“This is our way of investing in our youth and in our future. Today’s young IP advocates will be the future patent engineers, IP lawyers, legislators and government officials. The success of the program has encouraged us to reach out to more schools and students,” says Atty. Ricardo R. Blancaflor, IPOPHL Director General. 

The Young IP Advocate program of the IPOPHL seeks to plant the culture of creativity and innovation among young Filipinos. It is designed to help plug the gap in the country’s basic education program. Unlike in other countries, IP is not yet integrated in the primary education curricula. The Young IP Advocate initiativeis now part of the yearly program of the IPOPHL. 

Jose Pablo Castillo of the Makati Science High School delivering his speech

 on Mainstreaming IP in Education.

Jose Pablo Castillo, a Grade 9 participant from the Makati Science High School, delivered a speech on “Strategies for Mainstreaming IP in Education: Investing in the Youth” on behalf of the 2^nd batch of the IPOPHL IP Young Advocates. In his speech, he shared the learnings from the IP Camp and offered insights on how the schools and students can help in propagating the value of respect for IP and the importance of creativity and innovation. 

“A Filipino student spends an average 7.5 hours a day in school or nearly one-fourth of a day. If we would be able to utilize this precious time to teach IP, integrate IP, and value IP, the results would definitely be better,” says Castillo. 

“Introducing IP to the students must be the first step in the process. Each student must know about IP rights and how every student’s IP is protected by it. Truly, awareness is the first step to change and transformation,” adds the young IP advocate. Castillo received a rousing applause for his presentation. 

The Young IP Advocate program was launched in 2013 with just three school participants. The first batch of Young IP Advocates came from the Ateneo High School, Manila Science High School, and the Philippine Science High School.

words:  Emmelina Masanque, IPOPHIL IDTD

Pia Gladys Perey at World Fashion Week

18 September 2014, Manila, Philippines - Australian-launched luxury fashion label, Pia Gladys Perey (PGP), is set to conquer the world of fashion, this time in Paris, France, at the prestigious event World Fashion Week (WFW). WFW serves as the global voice of Fashion and is also dubbed as the “Olympic Style” global platform for the national fashion industries around the world. 

The PGP label first debuted at the Rosemount Australian Fashion Week in 2007 and is favored by Hollywood stars Angelina Jolie, Eva Longoria, Carrie Underwood, and Kim Kardashian among others. PGP has graced international runways such as Los Angeles Fashion Week, Miami Fashion week and Audi New York Fashion week. The label celebrates the natural beauty of the modern woman with glamorous pieces that highlights the female form. Sold in Australia, Singapore, Philippines, USA, UAE, and soon in Ireland, PGP is definitely conquering the fashion world with its signature draping and utter simplicity.

The WFW, is an internationally acclaimed event where leading and emerging fashion designers from 100+ nations participate in an elaborate showcase of world fashion and trade, celebrating cultural diversity, while promoting world tourism and lifestyle destinations. The fashion event will be held in Maison de l’Amérique Latine in Paris from 30 September to 4 October 2014.  PGP will also have a post-WFW showing on the 23rd of October 2014 in Manila.

PGP's participation is made possible by WJG Asia and supported by Beatriz Accessories, Clinique, Loudbasstard Speakers, and Manny O Wines. 

For more information, please visit piagladysperey.net or follow us on facebook.com/piagladyspereylabel. 

WORDS:  Aia dela Cruz

IPOPHL CONDUCTS SEMINAR-WORKSHOP ON PATENT SEARCH AND DOCUMENTATION

IPOPHL CONDUCTS SEMINAR-WORKSHOP ON PATENT SEARCH AND DOCUMENTATION

Manila - August 6, 2014

As part of the series of training for the new members of the Innovation and Technology Support Office (ITSO), the seminar-workshop (SW) on Patent Search and Documentation commenced on August 6 at the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL). To date, there are 74 member ITSOs. Atty. Ricardo R. Blancaflor, Director General of #IPOPHL welcomed the participants and emphasized the need to make use of the country’s rich biodiversity –considered as green gold— in making the Philippines more competitive.

Mr. Michael Jorge N. Peralta, ITSO Manager of the University of Santo Tomas gave an overview of the intellectual property (IP) system which defined IP, its role in economic development, processes and protection. In order to teach the participants how to effectively search for patent documents, Dr. Jonathan L. Salvacion, ITSO Manager of the Mapua Institute of Technology presented how to classify patent documents.

The afternoon session included a workshop on patent classification which allowed the participants to have hands-on experience in accessing the International Patent Classification (IPC) of the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO). Later on, Mr. Harris M. Fulo of IPOPHL’s Documentation, Information and Technology Transfer Bureau (DITTB) discussed the classification results.

The second and third days of the SW will elaborate on the types of patent search, tools and strategies which will be closed by more hands-on workshops and discussions.

#####

Words:  Danya Regondon, IPOPHL

Reposted from www.ipophil.gov.ph

CREATIVITY AND BEYOND!

http://ipophil.gov.ph/index.php/20-what-s-new/240-ceremonial-destruction-of-fake-goods-staged

10th International Exhibition for Young Inventors

copyright July 2014, IPOPHIL DITTB

Philippines lifted from US Trade Representative IP watch list*

PHL stricken off intellectual-property ‘watch list’ of US Trade Representative

• 
• 

Details

 

Category: Top News

29 Apr 2014

Written by Catherine N. Pillas

The Philippines has been removed from the Special 301 Watch List of the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) after almost two decades of being on it, a development that could facilitate the country’s membership in the US-initiated Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). 

With this development, the Philippines no longer faces threats of trade sanctions that Washington is imposing on economies with weak intellectual-property (IP) regime.

The USTR’s Special 301 Report is an annual unilateral evaluation report on various countries’ enforcement and observance of IP laws. 

“In recent years, the government has enacted a series of significant legislative and regulatory reforms to enhance the protection and enforcement of IP in the Philippines. Philippines authorities have also made laudable civil and administrative enforcement gains. Although significant challenges remain, the commitment of Philippines authorities and the results achieved merit this change in status,” according to a statement from the USTR. 

Trade Secretary Gregory L. Domingo said the development was “a recognition of the positive work the Philippines has done on intellectual property and is one of the string of good news coming from the United States, coinciding with Philippines-United States relations.”

But, at the same time, Domingo also said the Philippines’s status is subject to annual review. “Like anything in life, there is no assurance…but it [removal of the Philippines from the list] is part of a group of positive actions by the US on Philippines issues.” 

The trade chief added that with the development, aspiring for membership in the TPP “should be easier as IP issues are a significant part of the TPP agenda.”

The US-led TPP is currently being negotiated among 12 countries and covers about 40 percent of the global economy. 

The trade deal is said to contain provisions going beyond the usual trade tariff rate-reduction measures, such as cross-border services trade, standards, labor and environment, and IP rights.

But other barriers remain for the Philippines, such as foreign ownership limitations that are set out in the Constitution and are still hurdles for TPP membership.  

“Congratulations to the NCIPR [National Commission on Intellectual Property Rights]. Its holistic approach was very effective in curbing piracy and fighting counterfeits. Enforcement is only the beginning in building respect for intellectual property. The Philippines reinforces its position as the country champion in IP Enforcement in Asean,” Director General Ricardo R. Blancaflor of Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines said, expressing satisfaction over the Philippines’s removal from the watch list. 

Blancaflor remains upbeat that the NCIPR would maintain its efforts even with the upgrade, saying, “I am confident the NCIPR will maintain its vigilance in the fight against counterfeits. As long as these unresolved issues are included in building respect for the IP International system, we will endeavor to sustain our current efforts.”

Sought for comment, American Chamber of Commerce and Industry Executive Director David Ebb Hinchliffe lauded the Philippines’s improvement on IPR. He said the development raised the country’s image by another notch.

“It’s very good news. The improving IP regime of the Philippines is an important component of the business climate here, particularly in innovative and high-tech sectors so the decision underscores that the Philippines is becoming a more attractive place for companies and investors to do business,” added Hinchliffe, quoting a message by USTR for Asia Karl Ehler. 

According to the Philippine report of the Oxford Business Group, the Philippines has been on the watch list of the USTR for two decades, at times being elevated on the Priority Watch List. 

The Quiapo Shopping District was removed from the USTR’s list of notorious markets for selling counterfeit clothing, shoes, watches and software in 2012, the same report noted.

The USTR 2013 Report already noted progress of the Philippines, such as its compliance with the World IP Organization’s Internet treaties, as well as a drop in the filming of movies in theaters. However, despite the improvement, the Philippines remained on the regular watch list in 2013. The regular watch list is the lowest tier identified for deficiencies of IP rights infringement.

The USTR’s Special 301 Report aims to push countries to better adhere to IP rights standards, and issues warning of possible trade sanctions for countries under the Priority Watch List if they are subjected to investigation by the USTR.

The Philippines has been showing a strong image in international regulatory compliance recently as it also received this month a Category 1 upgrade from the United States Federal Aviation Authority (FAA), signifying compliance with international aviation safety standards as set by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

*reposted from Business Mirror news