IP Philippines joins e-Government with trademark online

The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines joined today other agencies in the Electronic Government (E-Government) with the launching of its new service, Trademark Electronic Filing System (TM Online), at its office in Makati City.

        The offering of the new product, which is a part of its continuing effort to improve and enhance its services to its clients and other IP stakeholders is among the highlights of the IP Philippines’ celebrations of the World Copyright Day on April 23 the World IP Day on April 26. 

        The IP Philippines is celebrating the twin occasions with a series of events that began over the weekend and would culminate this coming Wednesday with the office’s signing of agreements involving joint cooperation on IP with private sectors.

       Some of the other highlights of the celebrations are a mini-exhibit on inventions by Filipino inventors, a lecture seminar on IP and the launching with stakeholders of a training program, whose aim is to further promote and protect IP. 

       The TM Online, which is a joint project with Equitable PCI Bank, is a web-based secure electronic filing system for applications for the registration of trademarks, service marks, geographical indications and other marks of ownership. It is a convenient alternative filing system which trademark applicants and agents can use 24 hours a day and seven days a week without having to leave their offices or places. 

      “This is a part of our commitment to further improve and enhance our services to our clients. Now applicants from all over the country need not come to the Makati office, saving in transportation and other costs in doing business with the office, said IP Philippines Director General Adrian S. Cristobal Jr.

       “With the new service, we hope to bring the IP Philippines closer and more accessible to our people, especially the small and medium enterprises (SMEs),” he added. 

        Cristobal said that IP Philippines has one of the most advanced automated systems in the Southeast Asian region and he expected that the online services would attract more users.

        The IPO has received a total of 24, 975 trademark applications for the past two years, 2004 up to 2005.

        The launching of the TM Online at the ground floor of the IP Philippines’ office was joined by other officials of IP Philippines including Deputy Director Generals Pacifico Avenido Jr. and Ireneo Galicia and Optical Media Board chairman Edu Manzano, whose office is a partner of IP Philippines in the campaign against IP violations. 

       During the launching, two IP lawyers performed the ceremonial filing of trademark applications. It only took them five minutes to complete the applications.        

      An applicant wanting to avail of the new service must accomplish the electronic form and submit it together with the attached electronic reproduction of his mark subject. 

      He must also have a deposit with the Equitable PCI bank or a holder of its card, as upon completion of the application form, he would be directed to the payment facility and given instructions on how to pay his fees.

      Unless there is a claim for colors, the electronic reproduction must be in black and white, scanned at 300 dpi and saved in .jpeg format. It must also measure 50.8 mm in height and 76.2 mm in width. If the application is for an image mark, a good copy should be provided, as it could no longer be modified once it is submitted and received by IP Philippines.

        Once the payment has been received and confirmed by the bank, the applicant would be contacted by IP Philippines within one or two days after his filing of his application via an electronic mail, informing him of its receipt of his application. 

        The e-mail would also contain his application number and his official receipt number.

        In case the applicant did not receive a confirmation from the bank on his payment, he must immediately contact his payment center. This would also mean that the IP Philippines did not receive his application.

       Any application is considered filed with the IP Philippines upon the bank’s confirmation of the payment.

        The offering of the electronic filing system for trademark application is also a part of IP Philippines’ strive for excellence and global competitiveness.