Netflix, The Passion for Macrosmo | Keep spinning Barba…
Mauricio Macri He surprised with a statement at his televised dinner with Juan Viale last Saturday, when he stated that he had stopped his activities.....»»
Gundam series, Ultraman film coming this year
Streaming platform Netflix had fans excited after teasing what anime content it has in store for 2024, including a new "Mobile Suit Gundam" series and an "Ultraman" movie......»»
Daily Gospel, March 24
This is the Daily Gospel for today, March 24, 2024, which is Passion (Palm) Sunday. READ MORE: Daily Gospel, March 23 Daily Gospel, March 22 Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 14, 1-72.15,1-47. The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were to take place in two days’ time. So the chief.....»»
A time to meditate
Sometimes I wonder how many people still care to remember that the purpose of Holy Week is to reenact, relive and participate in the passion of Jesus Christ. In Catholic churches, it is a time to commemorate and enact the suffering and death of Jesus through various observances and services of worship......»»
Save the date: 7 MMFF 2023 movies na babandera sa Netflix
SINO sa inyo ang mga hindi pa nakakanood ng mga pelikula na official entries ng Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2023? Nako, pwedeng-pwede pa kayo humabol! Pitong pelikula ang ipapalabas ulit simula ngayong buwan hanggang sa darating na Hunyo at ito ay libre lang na masisilayan sa Netflix. Kabilang na riyan, siyempre, ang highest-grossing Filipino.....»»
Paolo, Kaye, Patrick bibida sa upcoming Netflix movie na ‘A Journey’
SAMAHAN sa isang roadtrip sina Paolo Contis, Kaye Abad at Patrick Garcia! Ipapalabas na kasi sa darating na April 12 ang pinagbibidahan nilang bagong Netflix film na pinamagatang “A Journey.” Mapapanood sa trailer na iikot ang istorya sa tatlong karakter na nagtungo sa Tasmania sa Australia upang matupad ang pangarap ng kaibigan nilang may cancer......»»
How to make money from your talents: Sharon Cuneta shares ideas
Want to pursue your passion but don’t know if you can make money from it?.....»»
Makati mall to hold Pabasa
The Filipino Lenten tradition of pabasa or chanting the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ will be held at a shopping mall in Makati City......»»
MMFF 2023 movies Rewind, GomBurZa, Mallari coming to Netflix
Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2023 entries "Rewind," "GomBurZa" and "Mallari" are soon going to be available for streaming on Netflix. .....»»
IPOPHL launches site-blocking mechanism vs piracy
The Intellectual Property of the Philippines has announced the release of rules on site blocking, the measure that disrupts access to pirated sites, seen to delist the Philippines from being third in East and Southeast Asia in having the highest piracy rate. The release of Memorandum Circular 23-025 or the Rules on Voluntary Administrative Site Blocking, signed by IPOPHL director general Atty. Rommel Barba, signals the celebration of the Philippine Creative Industries Month this September. Barba said Memorandum Circular 23-025 was signed last 20 September 2023, effective two months from publication Result of years-long work “The rules are a result of years-long work with the National Telecommunications Commission and several internet service providers who refuse to sit down and watch while our creative industry suffers. With the site blocking mechanism soon up and running, IPOPHL, as an ex-officio member of the Philippine Creative Industries Development Council, is ecstatic to say the Philippines now has an essential tool to protect the creativity that drives our economy and defines our cultural landscape,” Barba said. With site blocking to be soon in place, Barba hopes to replicate the success of Indonesia where more than 50 percent of consumers have stopped or now rarely access pirate services because of its government’s blocking measures which started in 2019. “We encourage rights holders to optimize this tool and protect the value of your creative assets,” Barba said. Under the rules, the process is initiated once a rights holder or a duly authorized representative files a written request with the IP Rights Enforcement Office or IEO followed by the payment of filing fees. The application will immediately be evaluated by an officer from the IEO who is given ten working days to submit an Evaluation Report. The report carries a recommendation on the issuance or non-issuance of a site-blocking order and is elevated to the Supervising Director or Deputy Director General for approval within five working days. Collaboration vs piracy To effectively implement the rules, IPOPHL signed on Wednesday partnership agreements with the NTC and ISPs, namely Globe Telecom Inc., Smart Communications Inc., PLDT Inc., Sky Cable Corp. and DITO Telecommunity Corp. Under the Memorandum of Understanding, ISPs commit to willingly block sites directly upon IPOPHL’s request issued after a determination of violation, thereby streamlining the current process which requires the involvement of the NTC, the agency being the primary regulator of ISPs. Meanwhile, the memorandum of agreement with the NTC widens IPOPHL’s oversight to over 300 ISPs who are not part of IPOPHL’s site blocking MOU with ISPs, obligating them to disable access to piracy sites. Also at the event were the Motion Picture Association, Asia Video Industry Association and the GMA Network Inc. as observers and partners. IPOPHL launched the new rules at a time when site blocking is gaining traction around the world as an effective anti-piracy tool. That same year, AVIA’s Coalition Against Piracy released a YouGov survey showing that 49 percent of Filipinos admit to using streaming piracy websites or torrent sites, placing the Philippines third among East and Southeast Asian countries in terms of visiting piracy streaming sites. The post IPOPHL launches site-blocking mechanism vs piracy appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Nestlé supports brand rights protection, signs MOU on e-commerce
Nestlé Philippines Inc. has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with online platforms and brand owners, industry associations and chambers of commerce to support brand rights protection against counterfeit products. The world’s largest food and beverage company joins the long and impressive roster of multinational brand partners, as well as dominant e- commerce platforms such as Lazada, Shopee and Zalora, in championing consumer protection under the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines. The MOU formalizes enhanced collaboration across different industries, together with a general process on limiting the access of counterfeit products in the market, by generating and streamlining takedown notices and procedures against digital sellers who take advantage of consumers and sell fake goods. NPI is dedicated and looks forward to a dynamic exchange and review of the MOU’s implementation to ensure consumer protection in e-commerce marketplaces, as it reassures digital shoppers that its household brands are original and of the highest quality when purchased online. “Today marks a special day as one of the prominent food and beverage brands in the country, Nestlé Philippines, becomes part of a collective undertaking. Together, we share the goal of ensuring the protection of consumers against counterfeit or fake goods especially in online marketplaces,” IPOPHL Director General Rowel Barba said. “May this pave the way for better collaboration and the formation of best practices across different industries in ensuring consumer protection.” “Nestlé’s long-standing presence in the country has led our brands to become ‘Kasambuhays’ or trusted companions in the lives of the Filipino families. Our participation in this MOU is not just our commitment in cracking down on counterfeits; it honors the trust that Filipinos place in our brands, that we will always do better, and we are here to uphold our legacy in becoming the country’s ‘Kasambuhay’ for good,” said NPI chairman and CEO Kais Marzouki. The NPI delegation was led by general counsel Atty. Krisma Guyala, who said that Nestlé is fully committed and participating in asserting proactive and preventive measures versus counterfeit products. She commended IPOPHL for its role in forging collaboration between companies and e-commerce platforms for brand protection. “The engagement of public and private stakeholders in taking proactive steps to resist counterfeiters is truly valuable. Ultimately, we want the consumers to benefit. They deserve only authentic quality products in exchange for their hard-earned money,” she said. The post Nestlé supports brand rights protection, signs MOU on e-commerce appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
TVJ’s trademark cancellation case remains—IPOPHL
The trademark cancellation case that original Eat Bulaga hosts, former Senator Vicente Tito Sotto, his brother Vic and Joey De Leon, filed against Television and Production Exponents, or TAPE Inc., has no bearing with the recently awarded renewal of TAPE Inc.’s trademark for 10 years, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines clarified on Monday. In an earlier interview by the DAILY TRIBUNE, IPOPHL director general Atty. Rowel Barba disclosed that the 10-year trademark registration renewal of TAPE Inc.’s “Eat Bulaga” “is purely ministerial and has no opposition period.” “On queries from various quarters about the renewal of the Eat Bulaga trademark of Television and Production Exponents, Inc., IPOPHL confirms the approval on 14 June 2023 of the request to extend the term of registration over EAT BULAGA AND EB covered by TM Reg. No. 42011005951, for Nice Classes 16, 18, 21 and 25 for another 10 years,” the IPHOPHL statement on Monday said. Further, the IPOPHL said the renewal process strictly observes an ex-parte nature prescribed by Republic Act 8293 or the Intellectual Property Code. “Under the law, requests for renewal should be granted primarily if the registrant can prove the actual and continuous use of the mark,” the statement added. On the other hand, the IPOPHL maintained that “as the renewal requests and other pending applications at the Bureau of Trademark are separate from the trademark cancellation case at the Bureau of Legal Affairs, they do not affect the BLA’s disposition of the merits of the trademark cancellation case.” The IPOPHL earlier said that a separate agency office is hearing TVJ’s original hosts’ complaint for cancellation of Tape’s trademark registration. TAPE Inc. was then mandated to answer TVJ's complaint within 30 days. On 31 May, TVJ ended its 44 years of partnership with TAPE Inc. Amid the fracas, TVJ moved on and transferred to TV 5 operated by Manny Pangilinan, and started its new program, E.A.T. last 1 July, while TAPE Inc. retained its program title “Eat Bulaga” in GMA 7 with a new set of hosts. The post TVJ’s trademark cancellation case remains—IPOPHL appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Intimate Audrey:’ An up-close and personal look at a Hollywood and fashion icon
First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos led the ribbon cutting ceremony on 31 July to formally open the first Asian stop of Intimate Audrey, the bespoke exhibition on the life of the late Hollywood and fashion icon Audrey Hepburn that was created by her son Sean Hepburn Ferrer. Ferrer himself attended the ceremony, with his daughter Emma in tow, held at The Museum at S Maison, located at the Mall of Asia complex in Pasay City, where the exhibition will run until 29 October 2023. The exhibition was brought to the Philippines through the partnership of FashX, a fashion trade and licensing company, and SM Supermalls, as represented at the opening by Hans Sy and Teresita Sy-Coson. [caption id="attachment_169574" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Hans Sy, chairman of the executive committee of SM Prime.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_169575" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos with SM Investments Corporation vice chairperson Teresita Sy-Coson.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_169573" align="aligncenter" width="730"] Irene Marcos-Araneta, Joanne De Asis-Benitez and Anna Sobrepeña. | Photographs Courtesy of Sm Supermalls[/caption] Intimate Audrey is the third exhibition Ferrer has created for his mother in the last 30 years. It first opened on 4 May 2019 in time for Hepburn’s 90th birth anniversary and held in her birthplace in Brussels, the capital city of Belgium. It then made a stop in what she considered her home country, Netherlands, specifically in its capital, Amsterdam, where she spent much of her youth during the war years. The exhibition features over 800 photographs, memorabilia, fashion items, drawings, writings, movie posters and trophies that were thoughtfully curated and laid out around the 730-square meter space at The Museum at S Maison. There are also videos playing in strategic spots to highlight specific chapters in her life and at the screening room to show clips from her timeless movies Roman Holiday, Sabrina, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, to name a few. At the end of the exhibition — which covers Hepburn’s life from childhood to ballet training to conquering Hollywood, getting married, becoming a mother and finally doing humanitarian work as UNICEF ambassador — there’s a fashion tribute put up especially for the Manila stop. Titled Audrey: An Homage from Filipino Fashion, this section highlights the works of celebrated Filipino designers who got inspiration from Hepburn’s films and documentaries on her life. The participating designers include Pepito Albert, Ivar Aseron, Vic Barba, Mike Dela Rosa, JC Buendia, Len Cabili, Auggie Cordero, Rhett Eala, Jun Escario, Ben Farrales, Cesar Gaupo, Rajo Laurel, Jojie Lloren, Dennis Lustico, Randy Ortiz, Frederick Peralta, Puey Quiñones, Patrice Ramos-Diaz, Philip Rodriguez, Cary Santiago and National Artists Salvacion Lim-Higgins and Ramon Valera. Tickets to Intimate Audrey are available online via SM Tickets and at all SM Tickets offline locations, such as SM Department Stores and SM Cinemas. Regular price is P850. There’s a special rate of P450 for students, senior citizens, PWDs, national athletes and medal of valor awardees. The post ‘Intimate Audrey:’ An up-close and personal look at a Hollywood and fashion icon appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Intimate Audrey’ in Manila
'Intimate Audrey' is a bespoke exhibition on the life of Audrey Hepburn created by her son, Sean Hepburn Ferrer, to celebrate her 90th birthday anniversary. Originally launched in her birth town of Brussels, Belgium, the exhibition made a stop in her home country of the Netherlands (Amsterdam) where she spent the war year. The exhibition includes over 800 photographs, memorabilia, dresses, and accessories, as well as her never before seen fashion drawings and humanitarian writings. A series of poignant videos bring each of its chapters to life. [caption id="attachment_167063" align="aligncenter" width="240"] Sean Hepburn Ferrer[/caption] Part of the Intimate Audrey experience in Manila and a unique addition to the execution that was last on display in Amsterdam is an exclusive tribute called “AUDREY: An Homage from Filipino Fashion.” This section highlights the works of some of the Philippines’ most celebrated designers and how each one of them took inspiration from Audrey Hepburn’s films to the documentation of her personal life. It includes works and pieces from Pepito Albert, Ivar Aseron, Vic Barba, Mike Dela Rosa, JC Buendia, Len Cabili, Auggie Cordero, Rhett Eala, Jun Escario, Ben Farrales, Cesar Gaupo, Rajo Laurel, Jojie Lloren, Dennis Lustico, Randy Ortiz, Frederick Peralta, Puey Quiñones, Patrice Ramos-Diaz, Philip Rodriguez, Cary Santiago and National Artists Salvacion Lim-Higgins, and Ramon Valera. Attending the vernissage in Manila are Audrey’s own son, Sean Hepburn Ferrer, and her granddaughter, Emma Hepburn Ferrer. [caption id="attachment_167064" align="aligncenter" width="240"] Emma Kathleen Ferrer[/caption] FashX, a fashion trade and licensing company in the Philippines, has partnered with the country’s leading retail chain SM Supermalls, to hold this first-in-Asia exhibition of “Intimate Audrey” at The Museum at S Maison at the Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City from 1 August 2023 to 29 October 2023. The event's official partners include SMDC, Vogue Philippines, Furla Eyewear, Hardys, Gallery by Chele, The Henry Hotel Manila, and The Diarist. Exhibition tickets will be available online via SM Tickets and at all SM Ticket offline locations such as SM Department Stores and SM Cinemas. Exhibition access is priced at P850 with a special rate of P450 for students, senior citizens, PWDs, national athletes, and medal of valor awardees, and allows access to the 730-square-meter space for one hour and a half per visit. The post ‘Intimate Audrey’ in Manila appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Gamer causes piracy report spikes — IPOphl
Because of one person, counterfeit and piracy reports surged four times in the first six months of the current year, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines said on Wednesday. In a report, the Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Office said it received a total of 200 reports from January to June this year from 52 in the same period in 2022. On the other hand, piracy concerns totaled 152, accounting for around 76 percent of the reports and booking an increase from only nine reports in the first half of 2022. “The spike in piracy reports is as interesting as what — or who — drove them,” deputy director general Ann Claire Cabochan said at IPOPHL’s contract signing with its new Anti-Piracy Ambassador, Matteo Guidicelli last week. Single netizen filed 89% of privacy reports She revealed that 135 or 89 percent of the total piracy reports were filed by a single netizen — 133 in January alone and two others in the succeeding months. The reports showed the netizen was taking a hard line on pirated gaming software, hinting at possibly being an avid gamer. This explains why software accounted for 145 or 95 percent of piracy reports, followed by shows and movies and books and e-books. “Such sheer will to combat piracy gives IPOPHL hope that we have individual allies out there who want to set things right. It also gives us hope to see the impact of what one person can do. Imagine what we in this room can do together,” Cabochan added. Meanwhile, counterfeiting reports grew nine percent year-on-year to 48, driven by apparel (35); perfume and beauty products (9); and other accessories (2). Infringing activities online Of the cumulative piracy and counterfeiting reports during the period, about 91 percent dealt with infringing activities online. Some 69 percent cited Lazada (20 percent), Facebook (7 percent), Shopee (2 percent), a collective of non-mainstream websites, and 1 percent, Instagram as the key channels used by infringers. IPOPHL director general Rowel Barba commended concerned netizens for taking voluntary initiatives to weed out piracy and counterfeiting posts and activities. But he also reiterated the call for IP rights holders to enforce their IP rights more actively. “Take-downs, seizures and other administrative, civil and criminal remedies could only be deployed at the request of legitimate IP rights holders. IP rights holders would see more concrete action against violators if they also take more action,” Barba said. The post Gamer causes piracy report spikes — IPOphl appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Marcos accepts resignation of 18 PNP Third-Level Officers
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday accepted the resignation of eighteen Third-Level Officers of the Philippine National Police allegedly involved in illegal drug activities. Marcos made the move after he said in his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday at the Batasang Pambansa, where he said he would be accepting the resignation of “unscrupulous law enforcers and others involved in the highly nefarious drug trade.” In a letter to the President, PNP Chief Benjamin Acorda Jr. told Marcos that the Ad Hoc Advisory Group thoroughly investigated the alleged involvement of 953 Third Level Officers in illegal drug activities. The said officers have tendered their courtesy resignation pending the investigation. Of the 953, the Group recommended the non-acceptance of 935 courtesy resignations and the acceptance of the resignation of the following eighteen (18) officers: 1. PBGEN Remus Balingasa Medina O-10038 2. PBGEN Randy Quines Peralta O-05124 3. PBGEN Pablo Gacayan Labra II O-03734 4. PCOL Rogarth Bulalacao Campo O-08477 5. PCOL Rommel Javier Ochave O-08085 6. PCOL Rommel Allaga Velasco O-08084 7. PCOL Robin King Sarmiento O-03552 8. PCOL Fernando Reyes Ortega O-07478 9. PCOL Rex Ordoño Derilo O-10549 10. PCOL Julian Tesorero Olonan O-12395 11. PCOL Rolando Tapon Portera O-07520 12. PCOL Lawrence Bonifacio Cajipe O-12905 13. PCOL Dario Milagrosa Menor O-07757 14. PCOL Joel Kagayed Tampis O-08180 15. PCOL Michael Arcillas David O-07686 16. PCOL Igmedio Belonio Bernaldez O-12544 17. PCOL Rodolfo Calope Albotra Jr O-08061 18. PCOL Marvin Barba Sanchez O-08043 According to the PNP Chief, the officials are continuously being monitored. He also said that the necessary “orders for their relief from their present positions will be immediately issued and the (resigned) officers will be assigned to the Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit, DPRM (Directorate for Personnel and Records Management) to preclude them from exerting further influence and/or performing illegal activities using their positions.” At the start of his administration, President Marcos vowed “to clean up the ranks of the PNP, saying that the drug problem would not exist without the involvement of police officials.” In his SONA, the President also said that he would thereafter appoint individuals with unquestionable integrity to lead the government’s campaign against illegal drugs as he emphasized that his administration is putting “a new face” to the campaign. "In their stead, we will install individuals with unquestionable integrity, who will be effective and trustworthy in handling the task of eliminating thi The post Marcos accepts resignation of 18 PNP Third-Level Officers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
IPOPHL lauds seizure of P240-million fake goods
The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines or IPOPHL, acting chair of the National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights, lauded its member, the Bureau of Customs, specifically the BoC-Port of Subic, after intercepting P240-million counterfeit wearables. The goods carried the logos of mainstream brands, such as Adidas, Nike, H&M, Uniqlo, Zara, Cotton-On, Shein, and even the homegrown brand Bench. Others were also labeled with the luxury fashion house names, such as Gucci, Lacoste, Louis Vuitton, Armani Exchange and Balenciaga Paris. The fake wearables, shipped in two container vans from Dhaka, Bangladesh, were to be sent to a consigned group called Bonne Volonté Consumer Goods. “We laud the BoC’s Port of Subic for its vigilance and unrelenting efforts to foil counterfeiters and prevent counterfeit goods from pervading our local markets,” director general Rowel Barba said. Barba expressed gratitude to deputy commissioner for intelligence group Juvymax Uy, Port of Subic district collector Carmelita Talusan; Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority chair and administrator Jonathan D. Tan, and Customs intelligence and Investigation services director Verne Enciso. “We hope the Customs’ successful action serves as a lesson to all violators: focus your energy on legitimate activities rather than harm society. You are only risking your business to see your capital down the drain, just like what has happened to the makers and traders of these fake shirts,” he added. P350-M ukay-ukay seized In another report, an implementation of a Letter of Authority of BoC on several warehouses in Marilao, Bulacan, resulted in the discovery of an estimated P350 million worth of used clothing (ukay-ukay), mosquito coils, fake goods, and other imported products from China. The LoA, issued by the BoC, was implemented on Thursday, 13 July 2023, by agents of CIIS-MICP National Container Port, led by Enciso, on warehouses at Phil. Asia Pacific Realty Compound, Villarica Road, Sta. Rosa 1, Marilao, Bulacan. “The team inspected the warehouses and found them to contain used clothing or ukay-ukay, mosquito coils, IPR-infringing goods, and other suspected smuggled imported goods,” the commissioner said. He revealed that the allegedly smuggled goods inside the warehouses would amount to more or less P350 million. “Several warehouses were found to contain smuggled goods after we served the LoA to the warehouse admin and respective warehouse representatives,” he said. Philippine National Police-Marilao and barangay officials also helped serve and implement the LoA. On the other hand, Intelligence Group Deputy Commissioner Junmax Uy said that the warehouses had been sealed, and the team temporarily placed padlocks. “Ongoing inspection is being conducted on the subject warehouses. This is to be followed by an inventory of the goods, which would be conducted by our assigned Customs examiner and witnessed by CIIS and ESS agents,” he added. The post IPOPHL lauds seizure of P240-million fake goods appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PBBM approves nat’l innovation roadmap
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved the National Innovation Agenda and Strategy Document or NIASD 2023-2032, outlining the country's plan to improve innovation governance and establish a dynamic innovation ecosystem, Malacañang said Saturday. Presidential Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil told reporters that Marcos, who also chairs the National Innovation Council, gave the green light during the 5th NIC meeting on Friday. Garafil said the “NIASD characterizes a dynamic innovation ecosystem as one that fosters a pervasive culture of innovation driven by market demands.” The roadmap facilitates collaboration through active, reliable, and useful platforms, and provides innovation actors with the necessary facilities and resources to transform their ideas into innovative products and services. Garafil added that the NIASD will connect the innovator-entrepreneur to potential investors and funders. During the meeting with Marcos, NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, vice chairman of the NIC, said that establishing a dynamic innovation ecosystem is one of the six cross-cutting strategies in the transformation agenda identified in the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 to achieve a prosperous, inclusive, and resilient society. "Chapter 8 of the PDP elaborates on this strategy by situating it within the continuum of research and development, innovation, technology adoption, then commercialization" stated Balisacan. An oath-taking ceremony for the executive members also took place shortly before the 5th NIC meeting. The NIC is a 25-member policy advisory body that comprises 16 Department Secretaries and seven Executive Members from the private sector. Aside from Balisacan, the NIC members present during the meeting were Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla, Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines Director General Rowel Barba, Scientific Community member Dr. Ria Liza Canlas, MSMEs member Mark Sultan Gersava, and Business Sector Members Monchito Ibrahim and Earl Martin Valencia. The post PBBM approves nat’l innovation roadmap appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
EU watchlist excludes Phl
In its fifth year, the Philippines remains excluded from the European Commission’s intellectual property rights watchlist, a biennial publication identifying the priority countries that pose a great level of concern to the IP-laden industries of the European Union. A report released on 17 May, relayed by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines on Tuesday, mentioned “legal uncertainties and diverging applications of the law, low level of trade secrets protection and enforcements and overall weak IPR enforcement” as the deciding factors of the priority countries. “Our exclusion from the list from 2019 signifies that we remain an attractive investment destination to trade partners. Truly, we have come a long way in maintaining a safe IP climate in tune with global economic standards,” said IPOPHL director general Rowel Barba. China is ‘priority one’ in the list The EU report stated that China tops the list as the sole country under “priority one” due to the persistence of IP rights violations through piracy and counterfeiting, paired with inconsistent IPR law enforcement and application. While under “priority two,” the EU Commission report has flagged India, particularly for the several constraints on patent protection, and Turkey, generally for their gaps in national IP enforcement. Meanwhile, “priority three” countries consist of Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Thailand, for varying IP protection concerns. Despite the Philippines being delisted from the report, Barba emphasized the importance of “going beyond” the exclusion from global watchlists. More work needs to be done “Still, we acknowledge that there is much more work needed to be done to ensure a clean and reliable marketplace for IP rights owners across all nations. Since our last mention as a priority three in 2019, we have doubled down our efforts to safeguard our investment attractiveness, a testament to our commitment as a proactive national IP office,” Barba added, with the assurance that they continue efforts to keep counterfeiting and piracy at bay. Last May, IPOPHL successfully facilitated the addition of eight well-known brands to the E-commerce MoU, internationally recognized as one of the best practices to foster trust in online marketplaces. In a recent capacity-building effort with the EU Commission-funded ARISE + Philippines, over 40 representatives of the National Committee for IP Rights, aided by the International Trade Centre, tackled the matter of general IP enforcement and enforcement within the digital environment. Meanwhile, IPOPHL continues to initiate anti-counterfeiting and anti-piracy policy campaigns across local government units and the academe to deepen IP rights awareness, especially among public authorities critical in IP enforcement. Whole-of-nation approach “Our whole-of-nation approach to IP enforcement does not only empower our economic landscape. This also translates to a prosperous and lasting relationship with critical trade partners such as the EU,” Barba remarked. According to the EU Commission, trade in goods in 2022 between the Philippines and the EU amounted to €18.4 billion, while the 2022 bilateral trade in services amounted to €4.7 billion. In 2021, the EU accounted for 7.9 percent of the Philippines’ total trade, making it the Philippines’ fourth-largest trading partner. On the other hand, the Philippines ranks as the EU’s 39th largest foreign investor, making up for 0.4 percent of the EU’s overall trade. The post EU watchlist excludes Phl appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Eat Bulaga’s fate hangs — IPOPHL
The trademark application of Television and Production Exponents Inc. or TAPE Inc., is still pending at the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, IPOPHL director-general Atty. Rowel Barba said on Saturday, amid the ongoing fracas between the owners of Eat Bulaga’s production outfit, the Jalosjos Family, and its original hosts, former Senator Vicente Tito Sotto, his brother Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon. “Case is now pending so we cannot comment. A sub judice rule (is in effect). Magkakaron ng hearings pa yan before our adjudication officer can decide. Let us wait for the decision on the case,” Barba told the Daily Tribune. It was learned that TAPE Inc. first applied for registration of its “Eat Bulaga” brand with the IPOPHL in 2011. On the other hand, TAPE Inc.’s former president and CEO Tony Tuviera lodged a separate petition to own the “Eat Bulaga” trademark, but this time, at the World Intellectual Property Organization last 27 February 2023, which was confirmed to the Daily Tribune by another source. On Friday, former lawmaker Sotto said in a television interview that the Jalosjos-owned TAPE Inc. cannot continue the segments conceptualized by its former staff, saying that “as based on the jurisprudence of the Supreme Court, inventors are the rightful owners of their creations.” In terms of copyright, he said “TAPE is only limited to “Eat Bulaga” merchandise covered by Sections 16, 21 and 25 of the Intellectual Property Law.” Sotto said the program title was theirs based on Section 41 of the IP Law, and even revealed that they (Tito, Vic and Joey) are the ones who coined the program title “Eat Bulaga” when it first aired in July 1979 over RPN 9. “Kaya sige, gamitin muna nila habang nag-iisip pa kami kung anong susunod naming steps. Pagkatapos eh bayaran. Dali lang naman maningil eh. Singilin natin mga gumagamit ng property natin,” he said. (Okay, let them use it while we think of our next step. Then we go to payments. It’s so easy to ask what is due us.) Tito further revealed that TAPE’s trademark registration for Eat Bulaga with the IPOPHL already lapsed on 14 June 2023. TAPE Inc. still has a valid block time contract with the GMA Network until 2024. In a statement on Friday, TAPE Inc. said they assured that the show will continue but with new hosts, a day after the entire Eat Bulaga team, including all their hosts and crew, relinquished their posts at TAPE Inc. The post Eat Bulaga’s fate hangs — IPOPHL appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
IPOPHL moving out to Arca South office
The anti-piracy agency Intellectual Property Office is set to acquire a new building in Arca South from its office in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City. In a statement, the IPOPHL said long before the Commission on Audit or CoA’s September 2022 letter following up on the purchase of the office space. The attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry said it has been scouting for its new permanent headquarters since 2016. The office will save from rental expenses that will allow the purchase of its own property without compromising its operations. IPOPHL carefully reviewed its options, which included the construction of a building within the UP Diliman property where the land will be on a 25-year lease agreement. In this arrangement, however, the structure shall be owned by UP Diliman. Contract to sell done “We signed the contract to sell with the developer on 24 May 2023. The final price is pegged at P1.6 billion. This is a stark contrast to the P4.7 billion we estimate to incur if we lease for 25 years. The final amount also includes a substantial discount of about P225 million,” according to IPOPHL director general Rowel Barba. IPOPHL also considered joining the proposed One DTI Building along Macapagal Avenue; purchasing an entire building or buying a lot to construct a building. “However, these proved either infeasible or too costly for IPOPHL’s modest funds, hence, the decision to purchase two entire building floors of a finished structure for IPOPHL’s exclusive use instead,” the statement read. On the potential sites, IPOPHL surveyed areas within the Makati, Ortigas and Taguig central business districts where the majority of IP law offices are, but it was either prices that were beyond IPOPHL’s range of available spaces were not enough nor appropriate. After numerous ocular inspections and consultations from various relevant government agencies, IPOPHL pursued negotiations with Arthaland Development Corp. over the purchase of two floors totaling 5,999 square meters in Savya Financial Center located in Arca South. Touted as the next BGC, Arca South is poised to be the next large-scale business and lifestyle district in Metro Manila being the site of a sub-station of the subway train station. It is also convenient for most of IPOPHL’s clients, stakeholders, and employees as it is not very far from its current location of the IPOPHL office along McKinley Road. The IPOPHL said the acquisition will expand IPOPHL’s current office space of 5,091 sqm by about 908 sqm. The IPOPHL said they have been renting their office space since 2011, which is more costly compared to owning a building. The additional space will also serve IPOPHL’s fast-growing manpower. The post IPOPHL moving out to Arca South office appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»