IP Coalition awards seals to seven more Cebu firms

CEBU, Philippines – The Intellectual Property (IP) Coalition has recognized another seven establishments in Cebu for its IP Seal Campaign, to further promote the use of genuine software and products.

The Coalition which made Cebu as its pilot area for the nationwide campaign has recognized Alcon Industries Inc., Dash Engineering, Golden Peak Hotel and Business Suites, Jojo's Products Inc., My Rock Export-Import Inc., Nature's Legacy and Papicture Studio.

These companies join with previous IP Seal holders Ayala Center Cebu (ACC) and Campaigns Cebu, as pioneering IP icons in the Philippines.

The IP Seal implements one of the IP Coalition partners with businesses, which, as a matter of policy and practice, observe such standards consistent with IP promotion and protection, and projects them to the world as IP Icons, or as models of best business practices.

The badge of the IP Icons is the IP Seal. The IP Seal conveys the message that the products and services offered by IP Icons are assured of quality, safety, excellence and le-gitimacy of source or origin.

The IP SEAL is a multi-dimensional program which is being launched for the very first time by IP Coalition to raise public awareness on IPR at the corporate (big business as well as small and medium-sized enterprises or SMEs), retail, Internet Café and consumer level through a heightened educational campaign that starts with awareness on soft-ware copyright.

Although the issue on IPR has been there for years, government as well as concerned manufacturers still has to wipe out the rampant existence or usage of copy-cat products, IP advocates are confident that Cebu with its pro-active industry players will be able to lead in the lessening the rate of piracy in the Philippines.

IP Coalition secretary general Jun Rodriguez said that the campaign will also be formally launched later this month, and hopes to attract more IP Seal holders nationwide.

In this move, the coalition also hopes that the Philippines will ultimately be eliminated in the international trade watch-list on IP violations and piracy.

The IP Coalition, an umbrella organization of private intellectual property (IP) stakeholders and associations in the Philippines, aims at recognizing Cebu businesses and other cities in the province that are committed to helping promote and protect IPR in their operations.

Earlier, IP Coalition announced that businesses across all industries that are found to adhere to the country's IPR laws will be given due recognition through the awarding of the IP Seal of Excellence. The IP Seal of Excellence also qualifies the recipient to one-year immunity from software piracy enforcement initiated by the Business Software Al-liance (BSA), subject to applicable terms and conditions.

Businesses that earn the IP Seal will also be featured in the IP Coalition website as well as the website of other IPC members and partners.

"The IP Seal represents a seal of approval and endorsement for companies from the IP community for being good corporate citizens that respect and adhere to the country's IPR laws," said Rodriguez.

To be a recipient of the seal, businesses should register for the program and conduct a voluntary self-audit/self-administration of software used in business operations. (FREEMAN)