11 firms seek to list trademarks under Madrid Protocol

Manila, Philippines -  Religious group Iglesia Ni Cristo and 10 businesses have filed an application for international trademarks with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) following the country’s accession to the Madrid Protocol.

In a statement yesterday, IPOPHL director general Ricardo Blancaflor said Iglesia Ni Cristo filed an application for an international trademark to protect the group’s seal.

Apart from Iglesia Ni Cristo, he said Robin Tomas, international fashion designer and son of actress Tessie Tomas, also filed an application for the protection of his clothing label Tomas.

Blancaflor said the 10 other applicants for international trademarks are from Cebu.

“Ten of the applicants originate from the buzzing city of Cebu, namely: Profood International Corporation (Philippine Brand Dried Mangoes and Profood Cebu Dried Mangoes), International Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Efficascent Oil, Omega Painkiller Liniment, Gastripac, Bioderm, and Dr. S. Wong’s Sulfur Soap), Magicmelt Foods, Inc. (Magic Melt), Arden Siarot (Arden), and Murillo’s Export International, Inc. (Murillo),” he said.

The applications were filed through the Madrid system which allows the Philippine-based trademark holders to seek registration and protection of the mark in other signatory countries of the pact.

Blancaflor said the filings account for a total of 82 international registrations.

Among the designated contracting parties of the pact are Australia, Bahrain, China, European Union, France, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Monaco, Mongolia, Norway, Oman, Poland, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, and Vietnam.

President Benigno Aquino III signed the instrument of accession to the Madrid Protocol in March.

The Philippines’ accession to the Madrid Protocol entered into force on Wednesday, July 25, 2012.

To facilitate the payments for Madrid Protocol transactions, the law office of Bengzon Negre Untalan Intellectual Property Attorneys opened a Swiss current account with the World Intellectual Property Organization.

Prior to the country’s accession to the Madrid Protocol, Filipino trademark holders had to file applications in different countries for the protection of their marks abroad.

Blancaflor said the accession to the Madrid Protocol not only allows Filipino enterprises to file multiple country applications to protect marks with ease and in a cost-effective manner, but also encourages more international brands to come to the Philippines.

The Philippines’ accession to the Madrid system, he said, gives foreign brands confidence that their marks would be protected here.

Earlier, he said some 200 local businesses have expressed interest to file an application for international trademarks under the Madrid system.