Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines


IP Philippines conducts public consultation for Cheaper Meds Bill IRR

25 July 2008, Makati City – The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IP Philippines) will hold public consultations on the drafting of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008 (Republic Act 9502) on July 29, 2008, from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., at the Multi-Purpose Hall of IP Philippines. The office is located at 351 Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City. The consultation will consolidate the participants’ recommendations in drafting the IRR of Republic Act 9502 or an Act Providing for Cheaper and Quality Medicines. The IRR will implement provisions related to intellectual property, specifically sections under Chapter 2 of the new law. “Public consultation is an important part of the process in crafting the implementing rules and regulations of RA 9502,” Atty. Adrian S. Cristobal, Jr., Director General of IP Philippines, said. “We intend to gather views and comments from the different sectors that will be affected by the new law.” “Our primary purpose,” Cristobal added, “is to craft regulations to pave the way for our people to have access to affordable and quality medicines, maintain the patent system’s incentive for innovation, and comply with our international treaty obligations.” Section 16 of the Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act states that the: “The Intellectual Property Office in coordination with the Department of Health and the Bureau of Food and Drugs, shall issue and promulgate, within 120 days after the enactment of this Act, the implementing rules and regulations to effectively implement the provisions of this Act that relate to Republic Act 8293, otherwise known as the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines.” IP Philippines formed a Task Force for RA 9502 with Director General Cristobal as chair, assisted by Atty. Eugeniano E. Perez III, project director of the National IP Policy Strategy. Other members of the Task Force are Director Epifanio M. Evasco of the Bureau of Patents (BoP); Director Estrellita B. Abelardo of the Bureau of Legal Affairs (BLA); Division Chief Marilou B. Encarnacion of BoP’s Organic Chemistry Division; Division Chief Precila O. Bulilan of BoP’s Chemical Technology Division; and Division Chief Jesus Antonio Z. Ros of the Bureau of Trademarks (BoT). Media that featured the story: Manila Bulletin (7/27/2008) Manila Standard (7/26/2008) Philippine Daily Inquirer (7/26/2008)