Measures vs piracy, counterfeit trade raise PH intellectual property index
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines’ intellectual property index has risen by almost four percentage points in 2020, thanks to the creation of measures against online counterfeiting and piracy.
The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPO) relayed on Wednesday the latest United States Chamber of Commerce’s (USCC) 2020 International Intellectual Property (IP) Index, where the country’s overall index is now at 39.94 percent from 36 percent in 2019.
This increase was attributed to obtaining positive ratings in 19.97 out of 50 indicators from USCC’s Global Innovation Policy Center (GIPC).
“The index cited as a contributing factor the country’s 0.25-point climb in the ‘Availability of frameworks that promote cooperative private action against online sale of counterfeit goods’ indicator,” IPO said in a statement.
“The index also noted the country’s ‘strong performance’ in indicators it added this year, namely: ‘Plant variety protection, term of protection’ in which the Philippines scored 1 point; ‘IP-intensive industries, national economic impact analysis’ with 0.50 point; and ‘Membership of the Convention on Cybercrime, 2001’ with 1 point,” IPO added.
According to IPO, the USCC-GIPC highlighted efforts to talk with e-commerce players in promoting IP rights to avoid people from accessing counterfeit and fake items through online shops. The agency also noted the frameworks in place and are being created, that would ensure creative workers protection from infringement.
“It noted the anti-infringement efforts which some of the country’s biggest online retailers, specifically Zalora and Lazada, voluntarily put in place also in 2019,” IPO said. “USCC-GIPC also highlighted significant efforts to make the local environment more conducive to creative industry players.”
As of now, there are two pending bills aimed to strengthen intellectual property rights protection: House Bill 9148 or the New IP Act filed at the 17th Congress, and Senate Bill No. 497 or the Philippine Online Infringing Act filed by Senate President Vicente Sotto III last July 15.
IPO officer-in-charge Teodoro Pascua, this is a welcome development as his office has worked to protect the creative ideas of people. He also assured the public that the IP Rights Enforcement Office (IEO) would continue working with authorities to stop the trade of counterfeit items.
“We welcome the findings of USCC-GIPC’s report. We are most glad for its careful and positive observation on the progress of the country’s intellectual property rights environment, especially on enforcement which is entrenched in IPOPHL’s endeavor to protect creativity and innovation,” Pascua explained.
“IEO will soon be ironing out its enforcement guidelines to keep in step with modern business models. It has also identified critical players in the supply chain of counterfeit trade with whom we believe we should engage,” he added.
