15 October 2007 , Makati City – The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines today reports that trademark filings have reached more than 110,000 for trademark applications and trademark registrations exceeded 60,000. These figures were culled from the database of the office from 1998 to 2007. The year 2006 posted the highest recorded number of trademark applications and registrations for the nine-year period with 14,488 and 13,336 respectively.
The internal reforms implemented by IP Philippines to improve its trademark registration system and improve turnaround time from application to registration resulted in the increase in trademark registrations from 6,817 in 2004, to 10,481 in 2005, and 13,336 in 2006. From January to October 2007, the number of trademarks registered reached 12,098 or 96 percent of 2006 registrations.
IP Philippines listed more local trademark applications in the last seven years compared to foreign applications. Records from the office indicate that there were 49,960 local trademark applications or 57 percent of the 82,261 total trademark applications filed.
“One of our strategic goals is to deliver quality and timely trademarks. The numbers indicate that our responses such as streamlining procedures to further reduce processing time of trademark applications are effective. Before, it used to take about four to five years. Today, you can get your trademark in about six to nine months,” Atty. Adrian S. Cristobal, Jr., Director General of IP Philippines, said.
Delivering quality and timely trademarks forms part of the mission statement of the office in fostering creativity and competitiveness for national development using IP as a strategic tool.
“The steady increase in the number of trademark applications filed by local applicants is also a product of our awareness campaign for small- and medium-sized enterprises, research and development institutions, and the academe. We have been conducting trademark orientation seminars nationwide in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI),” Cristobal added.
Participants in the IP orientation include regional directors, provincial directors and other key officials. IP Philippines has conducted seminars in Clark and Tagaytay for Luzon , Cebu , Iloilo and Davao for the year.
The National Capital Region (NCR) had the highest number of trademark applications from 1998 to August 2007 with 47,933 from the total number of local applications of 59,853. Region IV – which includes Cavite , Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon (Calabarzon) and Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan (Mimaropa) – is a far second with 1,701 applications. Region IX or the Zamboanga Peninsula places third with 1,502 applications followed by Region III or Central Luzon with 1,176 trademark applications.
From January to October 2007, local trademark applications have reached 6,793 while local trademark registered now total 5,162. Total trademark applications for the year are now 81 percent of trademark filings in 2006.
Cristobal explained that the hike in local trademark filings could also be attributed to the overall positive economic climate that the country experienced from 2005 to-date. In 2005, gross domestic product (GDP) was at 5 percent, it rose to 5.4 percent in 2006. In the second quarter of 2007, GDP grew by 7.5 percent vis-à-vis 5.5 percent during the same period last year.
Trademarks, any visible sign that distinguishes the products of an enterprise, are powerful economic assets that serve three main functions: an indicator of source, a guarantee of quality, and an advertising tool.
IP Philippines through its Bureau of Trademarks registers applications by conducting a search of its trademark database and examining marks to determine their “registrability”. Once registered, the trademark is protected for 10 years, and may be renewed for succeeding periods of 10 years.
For trademark registration and other inquiries, please call the Customer Service Department of IP Philippines at 752-5450 local 207.
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