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Philippines Implements Sui Generis To Protect GIs
30 November 2022
The Philippines is finally implementing a sui generis system to safeguard geographical indicators after nearly 20 years of study and multi-stakeholder consultations (GIs).
This follows the release of the GI Rules & Regulations, which Director General of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) Rowel S. Barba and the Bureau of Trademarks authorized (BOT).
The new rules define GI as "any indication which identifies a good as originating in a territory, region or locality, where a given quality, reputation, or other characteristic of the good is essentially attributable to its geographical origin and/or human factors."
Due to the special measures required to adequately protect them and carry out the 1997 IP Code's intention of utilizing IP for development, local items that satisfy the requirements for GI protection will henceforth have a distinct registration mechanism under the sui generis regime.
According to BOT Director Jesus Antonio Z. Ros, the GI rules are anticipated to have the most positive impact on the agricultural and handicraft industries and promote traditional and indigenous Philippine goods.
Sui generis GI registration in the nation will, among other things, speed up efforts to protect our cultural heritage and identity, according to Ros.
Champagne from France, Kampot pepper from Cambodia, and Darjeeling tea from India are a few of the renowned GIs.
The GI legislation, in Barba's opinion, represent a turning point for the Philippines since, in contrast to most ASEAN countries, it has been missing
out on the economic and cultural potential that GI may provide.
At the ceremony to officially launch the new regulations, Barba stated, "The GI regulations are part of our continued commitment to the Filipino people, to protect and promote the hard work, passion and creativity that they put into these local agricultural products, foodstuffs, handicrafts, and other valuable IP products that are catalysts for our country's economic development and global prestige."
He added, "We are now guaranteed of better protection and higher value-add to world-class products that make us proud as Filipinos."
- Excel V. Dyquiangco
