The House Committee on Trade and Industry chaired by Batangas City Representative Marvey Mariño approved the substitute bill that will be known as the “Revised Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines.”
Responding to the concerns raised by Atty. Emerson Cuyo, Director of Copyright and Related Rights and Atty Ric Blancaflor, former Intellectual Property Office (IPO) Director General, Mariño explained that the viability of extending the copyright terms from 50 years to 70 years is one of the matters that will be further studied once it is presented and deliberated in the plenary.
The panel initially deliberated on HBs 531 and 8657, which provide for protected geographical indications of locally-produced food products, foodstuff, handicraft, and wines and spirits.
HB 531 was authored by Bataan 1st District Representative Geraldine Roman while HB 8657 was authored by Mariño.
“HB 8657 seeks to promote the competitive advantage of agricultural and industrial products with unique quality, reputation or characteristics that are essentially attributable to their geographic origin, thereby facilitating local and foreign market access and recognition.”
Mariño said HB 8657 seeks to promote the competitive advantage of agricultural and industrial products with unique quality, reputation or characteristics that are essentially attributable to their geographic origin, thereby facilitating local and foreign market access and recognition.
“It aims to protect consumers from misleading and substandard products that pose as truly ‘Filipino-Made’.”
“At the same time, it aims to protect consumers from misleading and substandard products that pose as truly ‘Filipino-Made’,” the legislator stated in his sponsorship remarks of his bill.
Resource persons from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Agriculture, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Bicol Pili, Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), and International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) manifested their support to the geographical indications bills.
