IPOPHL enhances efficiency in IPV case resolution with new RAPID rules
09 March 2025
IPOPHL logo from Wikimedia Commons.
After expediting the process for eligible IP violation (IPV) disputes, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) expects to see further reductions in the time it takes to resolve IPV cases.
The Rules of Procedure on Resolution of Action without Provisional Remedies in IP Cases with Delimited Damages (RAPID Rules) were introduced by IPOPHL through its Bureau of Legal Affairs in accordance with the Rules and Regulations on Administrative Complaints for Violation of Laws Involving Intellectual Property Rights (IPV Rules).
When IPV proceedings involve a demand for damages between P200,000 (US$2,500) and P500,000 (US$8,750) and no temporary remedies are sought, the RAPID Rules offer a more straightforward process. Provisions regarding prohibited pleadings, the format of email filings, the filing of hard copies of Complaint and Answer after the electronic filing, the option of online hearings, the inclusion of evidentiary matters in the initial pleadings, and the restriction of hearing schedules to a maximum of five hearing dates per party are some of the key characteristics of the RAPID Rules.
The simplified process offers a more effective remedy without placing an additional financial strain on litigants because the filing fees are the same as those for a standard IPV file.
Brigitte M. da Costa Villaluz. I Director general @ IPOPHL, Manila
“The RAPID Rules aim to provide an option to our stakeholders to avail of this streamlined route should their main purpose be the vindication of their IP Rights, while seeking delimited damages,” said IPOPHL director general Brigitte M. da Costa Villaluz.
The RAPID Rules align with the Supreme Court’s ongoing initiative to modernize the judicial system. This effort incorporates evolving trends in law, jurisprudence and international conventions, ensuring the system adapts to both technological advancements and global standards.
“By aligning with the modernization of the Supreme Court, the process provides updated, practical guidance to parties, ensuring certainty, smoother case management and reduced delays,” said BLA officer-in-charge Christine V. Pangilinan-Canlapan.
The RAPID Rules, promulgated through IPOPHL Memorandum Circular 2024-045, took effect on December 28, 2024. The new rules follow the issuance of Memorandum Circular 2024-021 which adopted the online mode in the proceedings while ensuring due process amid its modernization journey.
These enhancements form part of the BLA’s broader ongoing program to update its system, processes and records and ensure efficient and fair adjudication of IP cases.
- Excel V. Dyquiangco
