The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines will embark on another first in alternative dispute resolution (ADR) by implementing the Mediation Outside Litigation Service on September 2, 2019. The Mediation Outside Litigation Service is a flexible approach on mediation which will allow parties to submit their dispute to mediation even before or without filing a case. This gives parties the opportunity to reach an agreement at the earliest possible instance. 

This comes at the heels of the recent hosting of the Philippines of the recently concluded “ASEAN-USPTO Workshop in Utilizing Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in Intellectual Property (IP) Disputes” last August 7-9, 2019 at the Holiday Inn and Suites Makati. The event was aimed to encourage ASEAN member states to use ADR in resolving disputes particularly relating to intellectual property and to be the venue for the exchange of best practices on ADR. Legal experts from the United States shared their knowledge and skills in mediation and other forms of ADR. It was attended by representatives from ASEAN member states Brunie Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Participants include judges, court administrators and administrative officers from various IP offices.   

In the workshop, the Philippine ADR system was praised by expert lecturers and participants as one of the most advanced in the ASEAN region. In particular, the IPOPHL mediation service or program, which is managed by the Bureau of Legal Affairs, was cited as one of the successful ADR programs in utilizing mediation in the resolution of IP disputes.

Deputy Director General Nelson L. Laluces gave the opening remarks in the occasion. Atty. Editha Hechanova, who is an accredited mediator of IPOPHL lectured on the use of ADR in the Philippines in the workshop while Mr. Isagani Tan, another IPOPHL mediator was one of the panelist in the session on Trends in IP and Commercial ADR: Is the Legal Profession Keeping Up.