September 30, 2016 Petitions filed by Key Largo Car Accessories seeking the cancellation of certain industrial design registrations for car mat designs were recently denied by the Bureau of Legal Affairs (BLA) of the Intellectual Property Office (IPO).  Through four separate decisions, the BLA upheld the validity of four industrial design registrations for car mats registered in the name of Alwin T. Go. Key Largo Car... Continue Reading

August 15, 2016 The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) recently issued Memorandum Circular No. 16-007 further amending the current Rules and Regulations on Inter Partes Proceedings, the rules that govern proceedings related to oppositions to trademark applications, petitions to cancel trademark registrations, petitions to cancel invention patents, utility model registrations, industrial design registrations, or claims and appeals before the Bureau of Legal Affairs... Continue Reading

July 29, 2016 The Philippines’ accession to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks, also known as the Madrid Protocol, has been declared valid and constitutional by the Supreme Court.  This paves the way for the continuation of the availability of Madrid Protocol applications as a cheaper alternative for protecting trademarks rights in the Philippines and internationally. The Madrid Protocol currently has 97 member-countries, with... Continue Reading