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. Read more