Sen. Sonny Angara (File photo from the Senate Pubic Relations and Information Bureau)
MANILA, Philippines — Senate Bill No. 1868 — the proposed Protected Geographical Indications Act —will give more protection against infringement of Philippine products and pave the way for more exports, thus giving them exposure to the international market, Sen. Sonny Angara, who authored the bill, said in a statement on Friday.
But even before the bill could become law, Angara noted that the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) had already approved the registration of Guimara mangoes as geographical indication products.
The application was made by the Guimaras Mango Growers and Producers Development Cooperative (GMGPDC).
Citing an IPOPHL statement, Angara said the approval of the GI tag on Guimaras mangoes was the result of a decade of work by the cooperative to put the spotlight on Guimaras mangoes as being produced under the highest standards of planting, harvesting, handling, packing, and storage.
“Guimaras mangoes have long been well known among Filipinos as being one of the sweetest in the country and having the quality that can pass the standards and requirements of importing countries. With the grant of the first-ever GI, farmers of Guimaras mangoes will be the ones to benefit with an increase in demand and higher profits,” Angara said.
He also pointed out that GMGPDC had received offers to export to the Czech Republic, Dubai, and South Korea after making its first export to Switzerland of an initial 2 metric tons in 2022.
GI-tagged products are certified as having originated from a specific area that has gained a reputation for producing them under high standards.
“With a GI, producers will be able to have a powerful marketing tool at their disposal and also demand a premium for their products. This is very much in the spirit of our Tatak Pinoy or Proudly Pinoy advocacy which strives to level up the quality of the goods and services our country produces so that they can access broader markets and generate more quality jobs for our people,” Angara said.
Bill gives more protection vs infringement
Senate Bill No. 1868, Angara said, includes appropriate penalties for infringement — a usual concern of GI holders in other jurisdictions such as the European Union
Even producers who are non-GI holders face similar issues of infringement, as other firms marketing substandard products falsely claim them to have come from a GI area.
Under Angara’s bill, the unwilful use of registered GIs without consent or authorization from the registrant is considered an infringement and offense against the economic interest of the state.
On top of possible civil and administrative sanctions provided for under the law, infringement of GI also carries a criminal penalty of imprisonment from two to five years and a fine ranging from P500,000 to P1 million.
The registration of GIs is done through the Bureau of Trademarks of IPOPHL.
“We encourage our eligible local producers to work towards securing a GI, not only to improve your revenues but also to showcase the best that the country has to offer to the world,” Angara said.
A public hearing has already been held for SBN 1868 by the Sub-Committee on Trade, Commerce, and Entrepreneurship chaired by Angara.
Co-authored by Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda, SBN 1868 is now with the technical working group in preparation for its sponsorship in the second regular session of Congress.