IPOPHL MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO.

17 - 0 1 0

Subject: RULES AND REGULATIONS ON TRADEMARKS,

SERVICE MARKS, TRADE NAMES AND MARKED
OR STAMPED CONTAINERS OF 2017

Whereas, the State recognizes that an effective industrial property

system is vital to the development of domestic creativity, facilitates transfer
of technology, attracts foreign investments and ensures market access for
our products;

Whereas, it is the policy of the State to streamline administrative

procedures in registering trademarks and enhance the enforcement of
intellectual property rights in the Philippines;

Whereas, under Sec. 7 (a) of the IP Code, the Director General shall
manage and direct all functions and activities of the Office , including the
promulgation of rules and regulations to implement the objectives, policies,
plans , programs and projects of the Office;

Now, therefore, pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No. 8293,

otherwise known as the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, as
amended, the following rules and regulations on trademarks, service marks ,
trade names, and marked or stamped containers are hereby promulgated :

PART 1

REGISTRATION OF TRADEMARKS AND SERVICE MARKS

RULE 100. Title. - These Regulations shall be known as the "Trademark

Regulations of 201 7" .

RULE 101. Definitions. - Unless otherwise specified, the following terms

shall have the meaning provided in this Rule:
(a) " Bureau or Office" means the Bureau of Trademarks of the
Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines;
(b) "Collective mark" means any visible sign designated as such in the
application for registration and capable of distinguishing the origin
or any other common characteristics , including the quality of goods
or services of different enterprises which use the sign under the
control of the registered owner of the collective mark;
(c) "Communication" shall mean any response filed with the Office
except compliance with filing date requirements;
(d) "Competent authority" for purposes of determining whether a mark is
well-known, means the courts, the Director General and the Director
of the Bureau of Legal Affairs;
(e) "Director' means the Director of the Bureau of Trademarks;
(f) "Director Generaf' means the head of the Intellectual Property Office
of the Philippines;

Republic of the Philippines

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE r
-
-

'

Intellectual Property Center #28 Upper McKinley Road, McKinley Hill town Center, Fort

Bonifacio, Taguig City 1634 Philippines • www.ipophil.gov.ph

,.

T: +632-2386300 • F: + 632-5539480 • [email protected]

 (g) "Examiner' means the Trademark Examiner or any official or

employee of the Bureau of Trademarks authorized to examine
applications for registration or renewals thereof;
(h) "IP Code" means Republic Act No., otherwise known as the
Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, as amended;
(i) "!PO eGazette" means the electronic publication of the Intellectual
Property Office where all matters required to be published under the
IP Code shall be published;
Ul "Mark" means any visible sign capable of distinguishing the goods
(trademark) or services (service mark) of an enterprise and shall
include a stamped or marked container of goods;
(k) "IPOPHL" means the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines;
(1) "Regulations" mean these rules and regulations and other
subsequent issuances that may be formulated by the Director of
Trademarks and approved by the Director General;
(m) "Trade name" means the name or designation identifying or
distinguishing an enterprise, also known or referred to as business
identifier;
(n) "Translation" means the process of translating as rendering text from
one language to another; and
(o) "Transliteration" means the process rendering or representing words,
letters or characters from one language to the corresponding words,
letters or characters of another language or alphabet.

RULE 102. Registrability.- A mark cannot be registered if it:

(a) Consists of immoral, deceptive or scandalous matter, or matter
which may disparage or falsely suggest a connection with persons,
living or dead, institutions, beliefs, or national symbols, or bring
them into contempt or disrepute;
(b) Consists of the flag or coat of arms or other insignia of the
Philippines or any of its political subdivisions, or of any foreign
nation, or any simulation thereof;
(c) Consists of a name, portrait or signature identifying a particular
living individual except by the person's written consent; or the name,
signature, or portrait of a deceased President of the Philippines,
during the life of the surviving spouse, if any, except by the latter's
written consent;
(d) Is identical with a registered mark belonging to a different proprietor
or a mark with an earlier filing or priority date, in respect of:
(i) The same goods or services, or
(ii) Closely related goods or services, or
(iii) If it nearly resembles such a mark as to be likely to deceive or
cause confusion;
(e) Is identical with, or confusingly similar to, or constitutes a
translation of a mark which is considered by the competent
authority of the Philippines to be well-known internationally and in
the Philippines, whether or not it is registered here, as being already
the mark of a person other than the applicant for registration, and
used for identical or similar goods or services: Provided, That in

r
determining whether a mark is well-known, account shall be taken
of the knowledge of the relevant sector of the public, rather than of
the public at large, including knowledge in the Philippines which has
been obtained as a result of the promotion of the mark;

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 (f) Is identical with, or confusingly similar to, or constitutes a
translation of a mark considered well-known in accordance with the
preceding paragraph, which is registered in the Philippines with
respect to goods or services which are not similar to those with
respect to which registration is applied for: Provided, That use of the
mark in relation to those goods or services would indicate a
connection between those goods or services, and the owner of the
registered mark: Provided further , That the interests of the owner of
the registered mark are likely to be damaged by such use;
(g) Is likely to mislead the public, particularly as to the nature, quality,
characteristics or geographical origin of the goods or services.
(h) Consists exclusively of signs that are generic for the goods or
services that they seek to identify;
(i) Consists exclusively of signs or of indications that have become
customary or usual to designate the goods or services in everyday
language or in bona fide and established trade practice;
U) Consists exclusively of signs or of indications that may serve in trade
to designate the kind, quality, quantity, intended purpose , value,
geographical origin, time of production of the goods or rendering of
the services, or other characteristics of the goods or services;
(k) Consists of shapes that may be necessitated by technical factors or
by the nature of the goods themselves or factors that affect their
intrinsic value;
(1) Consists of color alone, unless defined by a given form; or
(m) Is contrary to public order or morality.

As regards signs or devices mentioned in paragraphs U), (k), and (1), nothing
shall prevent the registration of any such sign or device which has become
distinctive in relation to the goods and/ or services for which registration is
requested as a result of the use that has been made of it in commerce in the
Philippines. The Office may accept as prima facie evidence that the mark has
become distinctive, as used in connection with the applicant's goods and/ or
services in commerce, proof of substantially exclusive and continuous use
thereof by the applicant in commerce in the Philippines for five (5) years
before the date on which the claim of distinctiveness is made.

The nature of the goods or services to which the mark is applied will not
constitute an obstacle to registration.

RULE 103. Criteria for Determining Whether a Mark is Well-known. ­

In determining whether a mark is well-known, the following criteria or any
combination thereof may be considered:
(a) the duration, extent and geographical area of any use of the mark, in
particular, the duration, extent and geographical area of any
promotion of the mark, including advertising or publicity and the
presentation, at fairs or exhibitions, of the goods and/ or services to
which the mark applies;
(b) the market share, in the Philippines and in other countries, of the
goods and/ or services to which the mark applies;
(c) the degree of the inherent or acquired distinction of the mark;
(d) the quality-image or reputation acquired by the mark;
(e) the extent to which the mark has been registered in the world;
(f) the exclusivity of registration attained by the mark in the world;
(g) the extent to which the mark has been used in the world; ~

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 (h) the exclusivity of use attained by the mark in the world;
(i) the commercial value attributed to the mark in the world;

UJ the record of successful protection of the rights in the mark;

(k) the outcome of litigations dealing with the issue of whether the mark
is a well-known mark; and,
(1) the presence or absence of identical or similar marks validly
registered for or used on identical or similar goods or services and
owned by persons other than the person claiming that the mark is a
well-known mark.

RULE 104. Trade Names or Business Names. - A name or designation

may not be used as a trade name if its nature or its use is contrary to public
order or morals and if, in particular, it is liable to deceive trade circles or the
public as to the nature of the enterprise identified by that name.

Notwithstanding any laws or regulations providing for any obligation to

register trade names, such names shall be protected, even prior to or
without registration, against any unlawful act committed by third parties. In
particular, any subsequent use of the trade name by a third party, whether
as a trade name or a mark or collective mark, or any such use of a similar
trade name or mark, likely to mislead the public, shall be deemed unlawful.

The remedies provided for cancellation and infringement of marks in

Sections 153 to 156 and Sections 166 and 167 of the IP Code shall apply to
trade names mutatis mutandis.

Any change in the ownership of a trade name shall be made with the
transfer of the enterprise or part thereof identified by that name. However,
such transfer or assignment shall be null and void if it is likely to mislead
the public, particularly as regards the nature, source, manufacturing
process, characteristics, or suitability of purpose, of the goods and/ or
services to which the mark is applied .

PART2

RIGHT TO A MARK

RULE 200. How Marks are Acquired. - The rights in a mark shall be
acquired through registration made validly in accordance with the law.

RULE 201. International Conventions and Reciprocity. - Any person

who is a national or who is domiciled or has a real and effective industrial
establishment in a country which is a party to any convention, treaty or
agreement relating to intellectual property rights or the repression of unfair
competition, to which the Philippines is also a party, or extends reciprocal
rights to nationals of the Philippines by law, shall be entitled to the benefits
to the extent necessary to give effect to any provision of such convention,
treaty or reciprocal law, in addition to the rights to which any owner of an
intellectual property right is otherwise entitled by the IP Code.

The registration of a mark of such person shall be independent of the

registration in the country of origin and the duration, validity or transfer in
the Philippines of such registration shall be governed by the IP Code and
these Regulations.

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RULE 202. Priority Right; Basis for Claiming Priority Right. - An
application for registration of a mark filed in the Philippines by a person
referred to in Rule 201, and who previously duly filed an application for
registration of the same mark in one of those countries, shall be considered
as filed as of the day the application was first filed in the foreign country.

No registration of a mark in the Philippines by a person described in this

Rule shall be granted until such mark has been registered in the country of
origin of the applicant. However, the mark may be allowed for publication for
the purpose of opposition, but such publication shall be withheld until it has
been ascertained that the mark has been registered in the country of origin
of the applicant. The country of origin of the applicant is the country in
which the applicant is a national, domiciled, or has a bona fide and effective
industrial or commercial establishment.

Nothing in this Rule shall entitle the owner of a registration granted under
these Regulations to sue for acts committed prior to the date on which its
mark was registered in the Philippines; Provided, That, notwithstanding the
foregoing, the owner of a well-known mark, as defined in the IP Code and
these Regulations, that is not registered in the Philippines, may, against an
identical or confusingly similar mark, oppose its registration , or petition the
cancellation of its registration or sue for unfair competition, without
prejudice to availing itself of other remedies provided for under the law.

In like manner and subject to the same conditions and requirements, the
priority right may be based upon a subsequent regularly filed application in
the same foreign country: Provided, That any foreign application that was
made the basis of the priority right and filed prior to such subsequent
application has been withdrawn, abandoned, or otherwise disposed of,
without having been laid open to public inspection and without leaving any
rights outstanding, and has not served as a basis for claiming a right of
priority and shall not thereafter serve as a basis for claiming a right of
priority.

RULE 203. Requirements for Applications Claiming Priority Right. ­

An application with a claim of priority right must be filed within six (6)
months from the date the earliest foreign application was filed. If the fact of
filing and/ or registration is verifiable from the official website of the foreign
intellectual property office where the earliest application was filed , the
applicant is not required to submit a certified copy of the foreign application
or registration that serves as basis of the claim of priority right. Otherwise,
the applicant shall be required to submit a photocopy of the foreign
registration and an English translation, if necessary, within six months from
the mailing date of the office action of the Examiner requiring the same,
subject to extension as provided under Rule 615.

RULE 204. Period to File Declaration of Actual Use.- The Office will not
require any proof of use in commerce upon filing of an application . All
applicants or registrants shall file a Declaration of Actual Use (DAU) of the
mark with evidence to that effect and upon payment of the prescribed fee on
the following periods:

(a) Within three (3) years from the filing date of the application;
(b) Within one (1) year from the fifth anniversary of the registration; ~

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 (c) Within one (1) year from date of renewal;
(d) Within one (1) year from the fifth anniversary of each renewal;

otherwise, the application shall be refused registration or the registered

mark shall be removed from the Register by the Director.

RULE 205. Extension of Period to File Third (3rd) Year DAU, When
Allowed. - For the DAU required to be filed within three (3) years from
filing date of the application, a six (6)-month extension period may be
granted upon request of the applicant or registrant, provided such request is
made prior to the expiration of the three-year period and the required fee is
paid. Actual use of the mark may commence within the extension period.
The fee must be paid on the day of the filing of the DAU or the request for
extension of time to file the document. The date of payment shall be
considered as the date of filing of the DAU.
RULE 206. Renewal DAU. - For registered marks due for renewal on 01
January 2017 onwards, regardless of the filing date of the Request for
Renewal, submission of DAU referred to in Rule 204 (c) is required for
purposes of registration maintenance.

RULE 207. Absence of Notice to File DAU, Not an Excuse. -The Office
may issue notices or reminders to applicants/registrants regarding the
timely filing of the DAU and which may be published in the IPO Website or
disseminated by other alternative modes, as may be appropriate . However,
the absence of such notice or reminder shall in no case excuse the applicant
or registrant from filing the DAU within the prescribed period. The Office
shall remove the mark from the Register or refuse the registration of a
pending application if the applicant or registrant fails to file the required
DAU in a timely manner.

RULE 208. Contents of the DAU. -The declaration shall be under oath,
and filed by the applicant or registrant (or the authorized officer in case of a
juridical entity) or the attorney or authorized representative. The declaration
must refer to only one application or registration and must contain the
following:
(a) name and address of the applicant or registrant;
(b) declaration that the mark is in actual use in the Philippines;
(c) the list of goods and/ or services for which the mark is used; and
(d) the narnejs of the establishmentjs and addressjes where the
products are being sold or where the services are being rendered.
If the goods or services are available only by online purchase, the
website must be indicated on the form in lieu of the name or
address of the establishment or outlet.

The applicant or registrant may include other facts to show that the mark
described in the application or registration is being actually used in the
Philippines.

RULE 209. Effect of Actual Use for Related Classes. - Actual use for
some of the goods andjor services in the same class shall constitute use for
the entire class of goods and services . Actual use for one class shall be
considered use for related classes. In the event that some classes are no~

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covered in the declaration , a subsequent declaration of actual use may be
filed for the other classes of goods or services not included in the first
declaration, provided that the subsequent declaration is filed within the
three-year period or the extension period, in case an extension of time to file
the declaration was timely made. If no subsequent declaration of actual use
for the other classes of goods and services is filed within the prescribed
period, the classes shall be automatically dropped from the application or
registration without need of notice to the applicant or registrant.

RULE 210. Evidence of Actual Use. -The following shall be accepted as

proof of actual use of the mark:
(a) labels of the mark as these are used;
(b) downloaded pages from the website clearly showing that the goods
are being sold or the services are being rendered in the
Philippines;
(c) photographs (including digital photographs printed on ordinary
paper) of goods bearing marks as these are actually used or of the
stamped or marked container of goods and of the establishment/ s
where the services are being rendered;
(d) brochures or advertising materials showing the actual use of the
mark on the goods being sold or services being rendered in the
Philippines;
(e) receipts or invoices of sale of the goods or services rendered or
other similar evidence of use, showing that the goods are placed
on the market or the services are available in the Philippines;
(f) copies of contracts for services showing the use of the mark.

The Director may, from time to time, issue a list of acceptable evidence of
use and those that will not be accepted by the Office.

RULE 211. Declaration of Non-Use. - In lieu of a DAU , an applicant or

registrant, when warranted, shall file a Declaration of Non-Use (DNU)
indicating the groundjs and justification therefor. Non-use of a mark may be
excused if caused by circumstances independently of the will of its owner
but in no case shall lack of funds be an excuse for non-use of a mark.

Non-use of a mark may be excused in the following cases :

(a) where the applicant or registrant is prohibited from using the mark
in commerce because of a requirement imposed by another
government agency prior to putting the goods in the market or
rendering of services;
(b) where a restraining order or injunction was issued by the Bureau of
Legal Affairs, the courts, or quasi-judicial bodies prohibiting the use
of the mark; or
(c) where the mark is the subject of an opposition or cancellation case .

RULE 212. Period to File DNU.- The period to file DNU are as follows:
(a) Within three (3) years from filing date of the application. However, a
six (6)-month extension period may be granted upon request of the
applicant or registrant made prior to the expiration of the three-year
period and the required fee is paid; or

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 (b) Within the prescribed periods mentioned in Rule 204 when use of a
registered mark or mark subject of an active application has been
interrupted or discontinued by a pending litigation.

Except in cases falling under (b) of the immediately preceding paragraph,

non-use of the mark shall not be allowed for a total of more than six (6)
years. For this purpose, actual use must commence and the DAU filed
within one ( J.) year from the 5th anniversary of registration, otherwise, the
Office shall remove the mark from the Register pursuant to Rule 207.

RULE 213. Form and Contents of DNU.- The DNU shall be under oath
and shall clearly state the facts prohibiting the actual use of the mark in
commerce. The corresponding fee for all the classes must also be paid upon
filing of the declaration.

PART3

WHO MAY APPLY FORA MARK

RULE 300. The Applicant. -The applicant may be a natural or juridical

person. All applications for a mark should be in the name of the applicant(s)
who may sign the application. If there is more than one applicant, all of them
should be named as applicants, but any applicant may sign the application
for and on behalf of all the applicants.

RULE 301. Assigned Marks. - In case the whole interest in the mark is
assigned, the application may be filed in the name of the assignee who may
sign the application. In case the assignee is a juridical person, any officer
thereof may sign the application in behalf of the said person. In case of an
aliquot portion or undivided interest, each of the joint owners will sign the
application.

RULE 302. Representation; Address for Service.- If the applicant is not

domiciled or has no real and effective commercial establishment in the
Philippines, such applicant shall designate in writing a resident
representative who shall be served with notices or processes in proceedings
affecting the mark. The written document, clearly indicating the name and
address of the representative, shall be submitted within two (2) months from
filing date without need of any notice from the Office.

Notices and/ or processes may be served upon the person so designated by

leaving a copy thereof at the address specified in the last designation filed. If
the person designated cannot be found at the address given in the last
designation, such notice or process may be served upon the Director.

Any subsequent changes concerning the appointment of the authorized

representative or attorney shall be made in writing, the necessary document
submitted to the Office, and the prescribed fee paid.

RULE 303. Applicant may be Represented by Attorney. - The owner of a

mark may file and prosecute the application for registration without an
attorney or representative, but the applicant may be represented by any
attorney or other authorized representative.

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RULE 304. Power of Attorney or Authorization. - At the time of filing of
an application, no power of attorney or authorization is required. However,
the Office may require any attorney or other recognized person or authorized
representative to submit within two (2) months from notice a power of
attorney or authorization before the attorney or representative is allowed to
take an initial or further action on any application or registration.

A substitute or associate attorney may be appointed by an attorney only

upon the written authorization of the principal; but a third attorney
appointed by the second will not be recognized.

RULE 305. Death, Insanity, Incapacity of Applicant. - When the

applicant dies, becomes insane or is otherwise incapacitated, the legally
appointed executor, administrator, guardian, conservator or representative
of the dead or insane or incapacitated applicant may prosecute the
application on behalf of the heirs and successors-in-interest of the applicant.

RULE 306. Signature and Other Means of Self-identification. -Where a

signature is required, the Office shall accept:
(a) A hand-written signature;
(b) The use of other forms of signature, such as a printed or stamped
signature, or the use of a seal, instead of a hand-written signature:
Provided, That where a seal is used, it should be accompanied by an
indication in letters of the name of the signatory; or
(c) Digital signature, subject to such issuances as may be subsequently
promulgated.

No attestation, notarization, authentication, legalization or other certification

of any signature or other means of self-identification referred to in the
preceding paragraphs will be required, except, where the signature concerns
the surrender of a registration.

PART4

TRADEMARK APPLICATION

RULE 400. Application Requirements. - All applications must be

addressed to the Director and shall be in Filipino or English and shall
contain the following:
(a) a request for registration;
(b) the name, address and other contact details of the applicant;
(c) the name of a State of which the applicant is a national or has
domicile; and the name of a State in which the applicant has a real
and effective industrial or commercial establishment, if any;
(d) where the applicant is a juridical entity, the law under which it is
organized and existing;
(e) if the applicant is not domiciled in the Philippines, the appointment
of a resident agent or representative whose power of attorney may be
required by the examiner if necessary;
(f) where the applicant claims the priority of an earlier application, a
declaration claiming the priority of that earlier application,
indicating the following:
(i) the name of the state of the national office where the earlier
application was filed or if filed with an office other than a

~
national office, the name of that office;

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 (ii) the date on which the earlier application was filed; and
(iii) where available, the application number of the earlier
application;
(g) where the applicant wishes to claim color as a distinctive feature of
the mark, a statement to that effect, as well as the name or names of
the color or colors claimed and an indication, in respect of each
color, of the principal parts of the mark which are in that color;
(h) where the mark 1s a three-dimensional mark, a statement to that
effect;
(i) reproduction of the mark as provided in these Regulations or
subsequent issuances;
U) transliteration or translation of the mark or of some parts of the
mark, as prescribed in these Regulations;
(k) the names of the goods or services for which the registration is
sought, grouped according to the classes of the Nice Classification,
together with the number of the class of the said classification to
which each group of goods or services belongs;
(1) where the application is for a collective mark, a designation to that
effect; and
(m) a signature by, or other self-identification of, the applicant or
authorized representative.

RULE 401. Office Application Form. -The Office shall make available a
standard application form which shall be made available in electronic format
or in printed form. The printed form may be reproduced by applicants and
other persons at their own cost.

RULE 402. Reproduction of the Mark. - One (1) reproduction of the mark
shall be submitted upon filing of the application which shall substantially
represent the mark as actually used or intended to be used on or in
connection with the goods and/ or services of the applicant. The reproduction
may be added or pasted on the space provided for in the application form or
printed on an ordinary bond paper. The reproduction must be clear and
legible, printed in black ink or in color, if colors are claimed, and must be
capable of being clearly reproduced when published in the IPO eGazette. An
electronic copy of the reproduction may likewise be submitted in lieu of the
printed reproduction. The electronic reproduction should be in .jpg format
and must not exceed one (1) megabyte.

In the case of word marks or if no special characteristics have to be shown,

such as design, style of lettering, color, diacritical marks, or unusual forms
of punctuation, the mark must be represented in standard characters. The
specification of the mark to be reproduced will be indicated in the
application form and/ or published on the website.

The provisions of this Rule shall, however, be construed liberally in

determining whether the application shall be considered complete for
purposes of granting a filing date .

RULE 403. Submission of Label.- The applicant may submit the label as
actually used or intended to be used on the goods or a computer printout of
the label.

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The mark intended to be protected must be bigger and more dominant than
the generic term of goods, except in the case of medicine as required by law.

RULE 404. Translation or Transliteration. - A translation or

transliteration of the mark or of some parts of the mark must accompany the
application if the mark or of some parts of the mark is/ are in foreign word(s) ,
letter(s) and character(s), or foreign sounding.

RULE 405. Classification of Goods and Services.- The applicant must

indicate the goods and/ or services for which the registration is sought,
grouped according to the classes of the Nice Classification, together with the
number of the class to which each group of goods or services belongs. The
Nice Classification shall pertain to the latest edition published by the World
Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

The goods and/ or services of registered marks which were classified under
previous editions of the Nice Classification shall, upon renewal of
registration , be reclassified by the Examiner consistent with the latest
edition thereof, subject to payment of the required fees if the reclassification
resulted in the addition of classes. Such reclassification may also be
requested )Jy the registrant prior to the renewal of the registration and
allowed by the Office after examination of the request and payment of the
appropriate fees.

The Office may declare the acceptance of other terms for as long as these
may be classified under any of the classes of the Nice Classification.

RULE 406. Broad Terms. - In any application, the use of broad terms in
identifying the goods, business or services shall be unacceptable. However,
an applicant whose application is based on foreign registrationjs shall be
required to specify the goods covered by such foreign registration/ s in all
cases where the foreign registrationjs used broad terms in identifying the
goods and/or services. Class headings may be accepted, but they shall only
cover the goods and/ or services as stated and not all the goods and/ or
services under such class and provided they do not mislead as to the nature
of the goods and/ or services.

RULE 407. Single Registration for Goods and/or Services. - One (1)
application may relate to several goods and/ or services, whether they belong
to one (1) class or to several classes of the Nice Classification. Where goods
and/ or services belonging to several classes of the Nice Classification have
been included in one ( 1) application , such application shall result in one
registration .

RULE 408. Division or Merger of Applicationjs. - Any application

referring to several classes of goods and/ or services referred to as the "initial
application" may be divided by the applicant into two (2) or more
applications referred to as "divisional applications" by distributing among the
latter the classes referred to in the initial application . However, a single class
shall not be subdivided, except where the Examiner determined that the
goods and or services fall under a different class .

The request to divide an application must be submitted at any time prior to

publication of the mark for opposition. Upon receipt of such a request ~

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together with the corresponding payment, the Office shall accordingly assign
application numbers to the divisional applications, but the filing date shall
be the same as the filing date of the initial application.

Upon request by the applicant and payment of the corresponding fee, a

locally filed multi-class application partly based on a foreign
application/registration and covering class/classes of goods and/or services
not included in the foreign application or registration shall be divided into
the following:
(a) application with class/classes of goods/services covered by

convention priority; and

(b) application with class/classes of goods/services not covered by

convention priority.

Only the divisional application/s covering class/classes of goods/services

included in the foreign application/registration shall preserve the benefit of
the right of convention priority. The divisional application/ s covering
class I classes of goods I services not included in the foreign
application/registration shall bear the filing date of the initial application.

A request to merge separate applications belonging to the same applicant

may be filed at any time before publication of the mark for opposition. A
written request for merger shall be submitted by the applicant and the
required fees paid.

PART 5
THE FILING DATE

RULE 500. Filing Date. - Subject to the provisions on priority right, the
filing date of an application shall be the date on which the Office received the
payment for the required fee and the following indications and elements in
English or Filipino :
(a) An application for the registration of a mark using the prescribed

form or using the online filing system;

(b) The identity of the applicant;

(c) Indications sufficient to contact the applicant or the applicant's

representative, if any;

(d) A reproduction of the mark for which registration is sought; and

(e) The list of the goods and/ or services for which the registration IS

sought.

RULE 501. Application Number and Filing Date. - Before starting to

examine the registrability of a mark, the Examiner or such other personnel
as the Director may authorize, shall examine whether the application
satisfies the requirements for the grant of a filing date as provided in these
Regulations. If the application does not satisfy the filing date requirements,
the Office shall notify the applicant who shall, within a period of two (2)
months from mailing date of the notice, complete or correct the application
as required; otherwise, the application shall be deemed as not filed.

If the application did not satisfy the requirements for the grant of a filing
date at the time that the filing fee and other indications were received by the
Office, the filing date that was given shall be cancelled and a new filing date
shall be entered in the records of the Office. The new filing date shall be the r
~

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date on which the Office received the completed or corrected application as
specified in the notice to the applicant.

PART6

PROCEEDINGS IN THE EXAMINATION

OF AN APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION

RULE 600. Application Prosecuted Ex Parte; Protests.- An application

for registration of a mark is prosecuted ex parte by the applicant, that 1s,
there is no adverse party.

In an ex parte proceeding in the Office for the registration of a mark, the

Examiner represents the interest of the public and the applicant or the
attorney or authorized representative represents the applicant's own
interests.

During the examination process, no attention shall be given to statements or

protests of persons concerning pending applications to which they are not
parties, unless information shall have been voluntarily communicated by the
applicant.

RULE 601. Order of Examination; Priority of Action. -Applications shall

be examined for registrability in the order in which the complete
requirements for grant of a filing date are received by the Office. Ordinarily,
the order of the application number assigned to them by the Office will be
followed and no application bearing a higher application number shall be
assigned for examination ahead of the applications with lower application
numbers, unless the filing date of the application bearing the higher number
is earlier than those bearing a lower number.

Priority of action and/ or examination may be granted upon petition under

oath with payment of fees and upon approval by the Examiner to trademark
applications falling under any of the following:
(a) Re-filing by the same registrant or assignee of a mark previously
registered but:
(i) removed from the Register for failure to file the 3rct year DAU
or DNU or meet the maintenance requirement; or
(ii) has expired due to non-filing or late filing of the renewal;
(b) Re-filing by the same applicant of a mark previously filed but:
(i) abandoned and can no longer be revived; or
(ii) refused for failure to file the 3rd year DAU or DNU;
(c) An application for registration of a mark, names or abbreviation of
names, logos of any nation, intergovernmental or international
organizations;
(d) An application for registration of a mark, names, abbreviation of
names, logos of any sports competition conducted within a short
period of time or when periodically conducted, the registration of the
mark is necessary to promote goodwill or image before the
commencement of the sports activity;
(e) An application for registration of a mark, names, abbreviation of
names, logos of product and services of applicants introduced
and/ or participating in a trade mission and/ or exposition local or
abroad and will be conducted within a short period of time; ~

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 (f) An application for registration of a mark, names, abbreviations of
names, logos of a religious, social or charitable, educational activity
the early registration of which is necessary to achieve its purpose or
objective;
(g) Domain names (as service mark); and
(h) Trademarks, service marks, and trade names used or to be used in
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure.

RULE 602. Jurisdiction of the Examiner. - The Examiners shall have

original jurisdiction over the examination of all applications for registration
and over their allowance for publication in the IPO eGazette for purposes of
opposition. Their decision, when final, shall be subject to petition and appeal
to the Director. Applicants, their attorneys or agents shall take up the issue
arising from their pending applications only with the respective Examiners in
charge or their supervisors and with no other person in the Office.

RULE 603. Examination of the Application; Action by the Examiner. ­

If, after the examination, the application is found not to be registrable for
any reason, the applicant will be advised of the reason/ s therefor, and will
be given such information and references as may be helpful in the further
prosecution of the application.

All Examiners are required to include all grounds of objection existing at the
time of the issuance of the first office action. Piecemeal actions shall be
prohibited.

Rule 604. Disclaimers. - The basic purpose of disclaimers is to make of

record, that a significant element of a composite mark is not being
exclusively appropriated apart from the composite. The following portions of
a mark, when forming part of the composite mark, must be disclaimed to
permit registration, namely:
(a) a generic term;
(b) a descriptive matter in the composite mark;
(c) a customary term, sign or indication; or
(d) a matter which does not function as a trademark, or service mark or
a trade name.

Such disclaimer shall not prejudice or affect the applicant's rights then
existing under some other law or thereafter arising in the disclaimed matter,
nor shall such disclaimer prejudice or affect the applicant's rights to
registration on another application of later date, where the disclaimed matter
has become distinctive of the applicant's goods, business or services.

Where the Examiner has determined that any portion of a mark contains
unregistrable matter which must be disclaimed, the Examiner shall
communicate the findings to the applicant in the office action. If the
applicant fails to comply with the Examiner's requirement for a disclaimer,
the Examiner must make the requirement final if the application is in
condition for a final action.

Partial disclaimer may be allowed with respect to some classes or some

goods and/ or services.

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RULE 605. Interview with the Examiners: When No Interview is
Permitted. - Interviews with Examiners concerning pending applications
may be granted upon written request specifying the query the applicant
intends to propound: Provided, That no interviews will be permitted prior to
the issuance of the first office action. The Examiner may alternatively grant
the interview or respond to the query in writing. Should an interview be
allowed, it shall be conducted within the premises of the Office during
regular office hours, as specified by the Examiner.

RULE 606. Period for Response, Action by Applicant. - The applicant

has two (2) months from the mailing date of any action of the Examiner to
respond thereto. Such response must be complete, and shall address all the
issues raised by the Examiner, and may be made with or without
amendment. The period to respond may be extended upon written request by
the applicant and payment of the required fee for an additional period of two
(2) months. In no case shall the total period to respond exceed four (4)
months from the mailing date of the Examiner's action requiring the
response.

RULE 607. Communications Other than the Original.- The Office shall
accept communication sent to it by facsimile or by electronic means subject
to these Regulations and subsequent issuances that may be promulgated.
When the communication is made by facsimile , the reproduction of the
signature, or the reproduction of the seal together with, where required , the
indication in letters of the name of the natural person whose seal is used,
must appear. Within twenty-four (24) hours from receipt of the facsimile by a
machine of the Office, the Examiner shall confirm the date of receipt of the
facsimile. The original copy of such communication may be required by the
Office to be submitted within one (1) month from date of receipt of the
facsimile. If the Office requires the original copy, the applicant must provide
such original within one (1) month from receipt of the notice. If the original
communication is not submitted when so required, it shall be deemed
withdrawn and expunged from the records. In all cases, the burden of proof
that such documents have been received by the Office lies on the applicant.

RULE 608. Re-examination. - After response by the applicant, the

application will be re-examined or reconsidered by the Examiner, and if the
registration is again refused or formal requirements insisted upon, but not
stated to be final, the applicant may respond again.

RULE 609. Final Action. - On any subsequent re-examination or

reconsideration, the Examiner may state that the refusal of the registration
or the submission of or compliance with any requirement/ s is final. Thus,
the applicant's recourse is limited to an appeal to the Director or to
compliance with the requirementjs made by the Examiner.

RULE 610. Abandonment; Incomplete Response.- If an applicant fails to

respond or submit a complete response within the period given, counted
from the mailing date of an action of the Examiner, the application shall be
deemed abandoned on the day immediately following the last day of the
aforesaid period. The applicant shall be notified accordingly.

RULE 611. Revival of Abandoned Application. - An abandoned

application may be revived as pending within three (3) months from the date

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of abandonment if it is shown to the satisfaction of the Examiner that the
delay was due to fraud, accident, mistake or excusable negligence, and upon
payment of the required fee; Provided, That there shall be no revival of an
abandoned application that had been revived once before on the same issue.

A request to revive an abandoned application must be accompanied by a

statement of the causes of the delay in submitting the complete response
and by the proposed response, unless the same had been previously filed.
Any application not revived within the specified time will be deemed
abandoned with finality upon the expiration of the three-month period to
revive. The applicant or the authorized representative shall be notified
accordingly.

RULE 612. Time Less than Four (4) Months; When Request for
Extension Should be Made.- The applicant may be required to prosecute
the application in a time shorter than four (4) months but not less than one
(1) month from the mailing date of the Examiner's action, whenever such
shorter time is deemed necessary or expedient. Unless the applicant is
notified in writing that the response is required in less than four (4) months,
a maximum period of four (4) months, including any extension, is allowed.

The time to reply, when a time less than four (4) months has been set, will
be extended only for good and sufficient cause, and for a reasonable time
specified. Any request for such extension must be filed on or before the day
on which the response of the applicant is due . In all cases, the maximum
time within which to submit a response to an action shall not exceed four (4)
months from the mailing date of the action.

RULE 613. Suspension of Action by the Examiner.- Action by the Office

may be suspended upon written request of the applicant for good and
sufficient cause, for a reasonable time specified, and upon payment of the
required fee. The Examiner may grant only one suspension, and any further
suspension shall be subject to the approval of the Director. An Examiner's
action, which is awaiting a response by the applicant, shall not be subject to
suspension.

RULE 614. Allowance of Applications with a Claim of Priority Right.­

If the only issue remaining in an application with a priority right claim based
on a foreign application is the registration of such foreign application, the
Examiner shall allow the application.

The Examiner shall verify whether or not the mark has been registered from
the online trademarks database of the foreign intellectual property office
where the application was filed. If the foreign application has been
registered, the allowed mark shall be published for opposition upon payment
of the required fees.

If the foreign application has not been registered at the time of allowance or
if the foreign intellectual property office does not have an online trademarks
database, the Examiner shall, in the Notice of Allowance and Deferment,
require the applicant to submit a photocopy of the foreign registration within
six (6) months from mailing date of such notice . Upon request of the
applicant and subject to the payment of the required fee , the period to
submit a copy of the foreign registration may be extended for a period of one ~

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(1) year, counted from the expiry of the initial period of six (6) months. If the
applicant does not request an extension or is unable to submit a copy of the
foreign registration within the extension period, the claim to the right of
priority shall be deemed waived. The application will thereafter be published
for opposition upon payment of the required fees.

RULE 615. Express Abandonment. - An application may be expressly

abandoned by filing with the Office a written declaration of abandonment
signed by the applicant or by the authorized representative or agent and
payment of the prescribed fee.

RULE 616. Amendments to the Application. - The application may be

amended to correct formalities to overcome objections made by the
Examiner, or for other reasons arising in the course of examination.

RULE 617. Amendments to Reproduction of Mark or Goods and/or

Services. - Amendmentjs requested during examination pertaining to the
reproduction of the mark may be permitted only if warranted, but may not
be made if the mark or the nature of the mark is substantially altered.

Amendment by addition of goods and/ or services related to those originally

filed and which fall under the same class may be allowed. Amendment by
deletion is likewise allowed.

RULE 618. Manner of Making the Amendment. -In every amendment,

the exact word or words to be stricken out or inserted must be specified and
the precise point indicated where the erasure or insertion is to be made.

RULE 619. Prohibition Against Marking of Papers or Records of the

Office by Applicants. -The applicant or the representative or agent shall
not make any erasure, addition, insertion, or mutilations of any papers or
records of the Office.

PART7

PUBLICATION, ALLOWANCE AND ISSUANCE OF

CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION

RULE 700. Publication in the IPO eGazette; End of Jurisdiction of the

Examiner. - An application for registration is subject to opposition
proceeding before issuance of the Certificate of Registration . Thus, if after
examination or re-examination of an application for registration, it should
appear to the Examiner- in-charge that the mark is registrable, it shall be
published for opposition in the IPO eGazette. The applicant shall be notified
of such action accordingly.

The applicant shall, within two (2) months from mailing date of such notice,
pay the corresponding fee for the publication of the application in the IPO
eGazette; otherwise, the application shall be declared abandoned. The
abandoned application, however, may be revived subject to the requirements
specified in these Regulations .

The jurisdiction of an Examiner over an application ceases after the Director

has ordered the mark to be published for opposition.

Page 17 of 28
RULE 701. Examiners may Request the Remand of Allowed Application
to their Jurisdiction. -After allowance or within one (1) month from
publication of the allowed application but before registration, the Examiner
may again exercise jurisdiction over the application upon written request by
such Examiner, and approval by the Director on the ground of newly
discovered objections to the registration of the mark.

After remand of an application, the amendment(s) recommended by the

Examiner, if any, may be approved by the Director and may be made without
withdrawing the allowance. The Examiner may likewise issue a subsequent
action on the basis of the newly discovered objection/ s.

RULE 702. Publication for Opposition; Applications Confidential Prior

to Publication.- The Bureau shall take charge of all matters relating to the
publication for opposition of all marks and trade names as provided in these
Regulations.

Access to files of pending applications will not be given to anyone without

the written authority of the applicant prior to publication for opposition of
the mark, trade name, or other mark of ownership. However, information on
the name and address of the applicant, name and address of the agent or
authorized representative, if any, the mark, the description of the mark,
trade name or other mark of ownership, the goods and/ or services listed in
the application and the corresponding class number j s, the application
number and filing date of the application shall be made available on the
website of the Office.

RULE 703. Allowance of Application and Issuance of Certificate of

Registration. - When no opposition is filed within thirty (30) days after the
publication for opposition, the mark is deemed registered on the next
calendar day following the expiration of the opposition period. In cases
where a motion for extension for the period to file an opposition is granted by
the Bureau of Legal Affairs, the mark is deemed registered the day following
the expiration of the extension period.

When an opposition is filed, a mark shall be considered registered on the

date the decision or final order giving due course to the application becomes
final and executory.

If the payment for the issuance of the Certificate of Registration has not been
paid, the Examiner shall send a notice thereof to the applicant. The
applicant shall pay the corresponding fee for the issuance of the Certificate
of Registration within two (2) months from mailing date of the notice;
otherwise the application shall be declared abandoned. The abandoned
application, however, may be revived subject to the requirements of these
Regulations.

The issuance of the Certificate of Registration shall be published in the IPO

eGazette and shall be entered in the records of this Office.

Page 18 of 28
 PARTS

EFFECT AND NOTICE OF REGISTRATION

RULE 800. Rights Conferred. -The owner of a registered mark shall have
the exclusive right to prevent all third parties not having the owner's consent
from using in the course of trade identical or similar signs or containers for
goods or services which are identical or similar to those in respect of which
the mark is registered, where such use would result in a likelihood of
confusion. In case of the use of an identical sign for identical goods or
services, a likelihood of confusion shall be presumed.

The exclusive right of the owner of a well-known mark which is registered in

the Philippines, shall extend to goods and services which are not similar to
those in respect of which the mark is registered: Provided, That use of the
mark in relation to those goods or services would indicate a connection
between those goods or services and the owner of the registered mark:
Provided further, That the interests of the owner of the registered mark are
likely to be damaged by such use.

RULE 801. Duration. -The registration shall remain in force for ten ( 10)
years, renewable for periods of ten (10) years: Provided, That the requisite
DAU as provided for under these Regulations has been filed.

RULE 802. Certificate of Registration. - A certificate of registration of a

mark shall be prima facie evidence of the validity of the registration, the
registrant's ownership of the mark, and of the registrant's exclusive right to
use the same in connection with the goods or services and those that are
related thereto as specified in the certificate. For this purpose, a digitally
signed certificate of registration shall have the same legal effect as a
traditionally signed certificate.

After a mark, trade name or other mark of ownership has been registered, all
documents relating to the case are subject to general inspection , and copies
will be furnished upon written request and payment of the required fees.

RULE 803. Contents of Certificate of Registration. - The certificate of

registration of a mark shall include the following:
(a) reproduction of the mark;
(b) registration number;
(c) the name of the registered owner;
(d) address of the registered owner, and if the registered owner's
address is outside the country, its address for service within the
country;
(e) the date of application;
(f) the date of registration;
(g) if priority is claimed, an indication of this fact, and the number,
date and country j office of the application, basis of the priority
claim;
(h) the list of goods and/ or services in respect of which registration has
been granted, with the indication of the corresponding class or
classes; and
(i) disclaimer, color j s claimed, description of the mark, if any,
translation/transliteration of the mark, if any, and such other data
as the Regulations may prescribe from time to time.

Page 19 of 28
The certificate of registration or renewal registration, as far as practicable,
shall contain information on the periods for filing the DAU as prescribed in
these Regulations.

PART9

USE OF MARK

RULE 900. Use of a Mark in a Different Form. - The use of the mark in a
form different from the form in which it is registered, but which does not
alter its distinctive character, shall not be a ground for cancellation or
removal of the mark and shall not diminish the protection granted to the
mark.

RULE 901. Use of a Mark for Goods Belonging to the Class Registered.
- The use of a mark in connection with one or more of the goods or services
belonging to the class in respect of which the mark is registered shall
prevent its cancellation or removal in respect of all other goods or services
belonging to the same class .

RULE 902. Use of a Mark by Related Company. -The use of a mark by a

company related to the registrant or applicant shall inure to the latter's
benefit, and such use shall not affect the validity of the mark or of its
registration: Provided, That such mark is not used in such manner as to
deceive the public. If use of a mark by a person is controlled by the
registrant or applicant with respect to the nature and quality of the goods
and/ or services, such use shall inure to the benefit of the registrant or
applicant.

RULE 903. Use of Indications by Third Parties for Purposes Other Than
Those for Which the Mark is Used. - Registration of the mark shall not
confer on the registered owner the right to preclude third parties from using
bona fide their names, addresses, pseudonyms, a geographical name, or
exact indications concerning the kind, quality, quantity, destination, value,
place of origin, or time of production or of supply, of their goods or services:
Provided, That such use is confined to the purposes of mere identification or
information and cannot mislead the public as to the source of the goods or
services.

PART 10

VOLUNTARY SURRENDER OR CANCELLATION, AMENDMENT,

DISCLAIMER BY THE REGISTRANT OR BY ASSIGNEE OF RECORD,

CORRECTION OF MISTAKES

RULE 1000. Jurisdiction of the Examiner. -The Examiners shall have

original jurisdiction over all matters relating to voluntary surrender,
voluntary cancellation, voluntary amendment, and voluntary disclaimer of
registration, and their decisions, when final, shall be subject to appeal to the
Director in the same manner that final decisions of the Examiners in respect
of applications for registration may be appealed to the Director. In all such
matters, registrants or assignees, their attorneys or agents will deal with the
Examiners exclusively, or with such other officials and employees who may
be designated by the Director.

Page 20 of 28
RULE 1001. Cancellation upon Petition by Registrant. - Upon petition
by the registrant or the registrant's authorized representative or agent, the
Office may permit any registration to be surrendered for cancellation, and
forthwith the appropriate entries shall be made in the records of the Office.
The petition for cancellation of registration shall be under oath.

RULE 1002. Amendment or Disclaimer of Registration.- Upon request

of the registrant or the registrant's authorized representative or agent, and
payment of the prescribed fee , the Office, for good cause, may permit any
registration to be amended or to be disclaimed in part: Provided, That the
amendment or disclaimer does not alter materially the character of the
mark. The appropriate entry shall be made in the records of the Office and a
replacement certificate may be issued upon request of the registrant and
payment of the prescribed fee. The replacement certificate shall expressly
state the fact that it is a replacement and shall reflect the amendment or
disclaimer made .

RULE 1003. Correction of Mistakes Made by the Office. -Whenever a

material mistake in a registration through the fault of the Office is clearly
disclosed by the records of the Office, a new certificate of registration may be
issued in accordance with these Regulations and without charge. The
registration will be published without charge.

RULE 1004. Corrections of Mistakes Made by Applicant.- Whenever a

mistake is made in a registration and such mistake occurred in good faith
through the fault of the applicant, the Office may issue a certificate upon the
payment of the prescribed fee : Provided, That the correction does not involve
any change in the registration that requires republication of the mark. In
case of mistake in the application, the correction shall be entered
accordingly upon payment of the prescribed fee .

The petition for correction must be under oath and must specify the mistake
for which correction is sought , the manner in which it arose and must state
that it occurred in good faith.

RULE 1005. Surrender, Cancellation, or, Amendment, or Removal from

the Register, Disclaimer, and Correction to be Given Publicity.- Notice
of the surrender, cancellation, or removal from the register, amendment,
disclaimer, and correction shall be published in the IPO eGazette. The cost of
publication shall be for the account of the registrant or assignee of record in
cases of amendment, disclaimer and correction, except when the notice of
correction refers to a mistake of the Office .

PART 11

RECORDING OF ASSIGNMENTS OF REGISTRATION, OR ANY OTHER

INSTRUMENT AFFECTING THE TITLE TO ANY REGISTERED MARK,

INCLUDING LICENSES; DIVISION OF REGISTRATION

RULE 1100. Assignment and Transfer of Application and Registration.

- An application for registration of a mark, or its registration, may be
assigned or transferred with or without the transfer of the business using
the mark.

Page 21 of 28
Such assignment or transfer shall, however, be null and void if it is liable to
mislead the public, particularly as to the nature, source, manufacturing
process, characteristics, or suitability of purpose, of the goods or services to
which the mark is applied.

RULE 1101. Form of Assignment or Transfer. -The assignment of the

application for registration of a mark, or of its registration, shall be notarized
and require the signature of the applicant, registrant, or the assignee of
record in case of subsequent assignment. Transfers by mergers or other
forms of succession may be evidenced by the deed of merger or by any
document supporting such transfer.

RULE 1102. Recordal of Assignment or Transfer. - Assignments and

transfers shall have no effect against third parties until they are recorded at
the Office. Assignments and transfers of registrations and applications for
registration shall be recorded upon payment of the required fee.

RULE 1103. Assignment, Other Instruments Affecting the Registration,

or License, and Translation, to be Submitted in Original Copy. -The
original document of assignment, other instrument or license and its
translation, if necessary, is required to be submitted to and shall be retained
by the Office. A notice of recorda! shall accordingly be issued to the party
filing the instrument.

RULE 1104. Date of Recordal of Documents - The date of recorda! of an

assignment, license or other document is the date of receipt of the
instrument in proper form and payment of the prescribed fees.

RULE 1105. A New Certificate of Registration Must be Issued to

Assignee. - Upon written request of an assignee of record, and upon
payment of the required fee, a new certificate of registration for the
unexpired period of the registration shall be issued to the assignee.

RULE 1106. Action may be Taken by Assignee of Record in Any

Proceeding in the Office. - Any action in any proceeding in the Office
which may or must be taken by a registrant or applicant may be taken by
the assignee to the exclusion of the original owner, registrant, applicant or
earlier assignee, provided the assignment has been recorded. Unless such
assignment has been recorded, no assignee will be recognized to act on the
application or registration .

RULE 1107. Clearance of Trademark License Agreement Prior to

Recordal.- Any trademark license agreement shall be applied for clearance
with the Documentation Information and Technology Transfer Bureau
(DITTB) of the Office and shall be recorded only upon certification by the
Director of the DITTB that the agreement does not violate the prohibited
clauses and that it includes the mandatory provisions under Sections 87
and 88, respectively, of the IP Code.

RULE 1108. Division or Merger of Registrationjs. - At any time during

the life of a registration, and upon payment of the required fee, the owner of
the registered mark may request in writing and under oath that the
registration be divided . The request must state the following:

Page 22 of 28
 (a) name and address of the owner of record and the authorized
representative or agent of record;
(b) the mark;
(c) the number and the date of issuance of the certificate to be divided;
and
(d) the goods and/ or services into which the registration is to be
divided, specifying the number of the class of said goods and/ or
services according to the Nice Classification.

The Office may grant the request to divide the registration, provided that the
division shall not involve any change in the registration that requires
republication of the mark and provided that a single class shall not be
subdivided.

Separated registrations resulting from the division of registration under this

Rule may be merged upon written request under oath and payment of the
required fee.

RULE 1109. Cancellation of Original Certificate and Issuance of

Transfer Certificates of Registration. - Upon approval of the request to
divide a registration and payment of the required fee, the Director shall order
that the original certificate be cancelled and new certificates of registration
be issued for the remainder of the term covered by the original certificate.

RULE 1110. Contents of Transfer Certificates of Registration. - The

transfer certificates of registration shall include the following:
(a) a reproduction of the mark;
(b) transfer certificate registration numbers;
(c) the name of the registered owner;
(d) the address of the registered owner, and if such address is outside

the country, the address for service within the country;

(e) the name of the registered owner of the original certificate in case the

owner of the transfer certificates is a different person;

(f) the date of request for division of the original registration;

(g) the date of the issuance of the transfer certificate of registration;
(h) the date of filing of the application and registration of the original

registration;

(i) if priority is claimed, an indication of this fact, and the number, date

and country j office of the application which is the basis of the

priority claim;

Ul the list of goods or services covered by the transfer certificate of

registration with the indication of the corresponding class or classes;

and

(k) such other data included in the original certificate of registration and

such other information as the Regulations may prescribe from time

to time.

PART 12
RENEWAL OF REGISTRATION

RULE 1200. Request for Renewal. -A registration may be renewed for

periods of ten (10) years at its expiration upon filing of a request and
payment of the prescribed fee. The request shall contain the following
indications and( or supporting documents: ~

Page 23 of 28
 (a) An indication that renewal is sought;
(b) The name, address and other contact details of the registrant or
successor-in-interest, hereafter referred to as the "right holder";
(c) The registration number;
(b) The filing date of the application which resulted in the registration to
be renewed;
(c) Where the right holder has an authorized representative or agent,
the name and address of that representative or agent;
(d) The recorded goods or services for which the renewal is requested,
grouped according to the classes of the Nice Classification; and
(e) A signature by the right holder or the right holder's authorized
representative or agent.

In case of material variations of the mark, a new application must be filed.

RULE 1201. When to File Request for Renewal. - The request for
renewal may be made at any time within six (6) months before the expiration
of the period for which the registration was issued or renewed, or within six
(6) months after such expiration, subject to the payment of the prescribed
additional fee or surcharge.

RULE 1202. Jurisdiction of the Examiner. - The Examiner shall have

original jurisdiction over an application for renewal registration, and the
decision, when final, is subject to appeal to the Director under the
conditions specified in these Regulations. The Examiner shall notify the
registrant of the final decision of refusal of the renewal and the reasons
therefor.

RULE 1203. Renewal Filed by Person Who is Not the Resident Agent of
Record. - If the registrant, assignee or other owner of the mark which is the
subject of a petition for renewal registration is not domiciled in the
Philippines, and if the petition for renewal is filed by a person who is not the
authorized representative or agent of record, the power of attorney
appointing the person filing the petition as the representative of the
registrant must be filed and, upon payment of the required fee, must be
recorded before the Office can act upon the petition for renewal.

RULE 1204. Certificate of Registration Issued Under Republic Act No.

166 to be Surrendered. - The certificate of registration granted under
Republic Act No. 166 must be surrendered to the Office upon renewal, if the
official copy of such certificate of registration is not in the files of the Office.

After the surrender of the Certificate of Registration granted under Republic

Act No. 166, the applicant for renewal may, upon request, obtain a certified
copy thereof, upon payment of the appropriate fees.

RULE 1205. Refusal of Renewal Registration; Appeal to the Director.­

The application for renewal may be refused by the Examiner for any valid
reason. The application for renewal may then be completed or amended in
response to the refusal, or the case may be appealed to the Director if the
refusal has become final.

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RULE 1206. Certificate of Renewal of Registration. - The Office shall
issue a certificate of renewal upon payment of the required fee for the
issuance thereof. The issuance of the certificate of renewal shall be
published in the IPO eGazette and shall be entered in the records of this
Office.

The certificate of renewal of registration shall contain the following:

(a) registration number;
(b) the mark subject of the renewal;
(c) the date of original registration and renewal registration;
(d) the duration of the renewal registration;
(e) all the data required to be contained in a certificate of registration
provided in these Regulations including any limitation contained in
the order of the Director approving the renewal of the registration.

PART 13

PETITIONS AND APPEAL

RULE 1300. Nature of the Function of Examiners. - The function of

determining whether an application for registration or renewal thereof
should be allowed or denied under the facts disclosed in the application and
in the references consulted by the Examiner and under the applicable law
(statutory and decisional) is a quasi-judicial function and involves the
exercise of judicial discretion .

Thus, with respect to such function, the Director cannot exercise direct
control and supervision over the Examiners but only general supervision,
exercised through a review of the recommendation they may make for the
grant of registration and of other actions, and through a review of their
adverse decisions by petition or appeal.

RULE 1301. Petition to the Director to Question the Correctness of the

Action of an Examiner on a Matter not Subject to Appeal.- A petition
may be filed with the Director from any action or requirement of the
Examiner which is not subject to appeal and in other appropriate
circumstances. Such petition, and any other petition which may be filed,
must contain a statement of the facts involved and the point or points to be
reviewed. Briefs or memoranda, if any, in support thereof should accompany
or be embodied in the petition. The Examiner may be directed by the
Director to furnish a written statement setting forth the reasons for the
decision upon the matter averred in the petition. If the Examiner is required
to submit a written statement, a copy thereof shall be provided to the
petitioner. The mere filing of a petition will not stay the maximum period of
four (4) months counted from the mailing date of the Examiner's action
subject of the appeal to reply to an Examiner's action nor will it act as a stay
of other proceedings.

RULE 1302. Appeals to the Director. - Every applicant for the

registration of a mark or other mark of ownership may, upon the final
refusal of the Examiner to allow registration, appeal the matter to the
Director. An appeal may also be made to the Director from any adverse
action of the Examiner in any matter over which these Regulations give
original jurisdiction to the Examiner. A second adverse decision by the

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Examiner on the same grounds may be considered as final by the applicant,

petitioner, or registrant for purposes of appeal.

RULE 1303. Effect of a Final Decision of an Examiner Which is Not

Appealed. - A final decision of an Examiner which is not appealed to the
Director within the prescribed period, or, if appealed, the appeal is not
granted, shall be considered as final for all intents and purposes, and shall
have the effect of res judicata in respect of any subsequent action on the
same subject matter.

If an application is considered abandoned for failure of the applicant to

respond to an action of the Examiner on the merits, such as citation of
confusingly similar marks, the order declaring the application as abandoned,
which has become final shall likewise have the effect of res judicata.

RULE 1304. Time and Manner of Petition or Appeal. -Any petition or

appeal must be taken by filing a petition or a notice of appeal, as the case
may be, and payment of the required fee within two (2) months from the
mailing date of the action appealed from. It must specify the grounds upon
which the petition or appeal is taken, and must be signed by the petitioner
or appellant or by the attorney of record. The period for filing the petition or
the notice of appeal may be extended, upon written request and payment of
the prescribed fee, for a period of two (2) months. However, in no case shall
the period exceed four (4) months from the mailing date of the action
appealed from.

RULE 1305. Appellant's Brief Required. - In case of an appeal, the

appellant shall, within two (2) months, without extension, from the date of
filing of the Notice of Appeal, file a brief of the authorities and arguments on
which the appellant relies upon to maintain the appeal. In case of appellant's
failure to file the brief within the time allowed, the appeal shall be dismissed.

RULE 1306. Examiner's Answer. - If required by the Director, the

Examiner shall submit a written statement in answer to the appellant's brief
within two (2) months from the order of the Director to submit such answer.
The appellant shall be furnished a copy of such answer.

RULE 1307. Appellant's Reply. -In case of an appeal, the appellant may
file a reply brief addressing only such new points as may have been raised in
the Examiner's answer, within one (1) month from the date of receipt of the
copy of such answer.

RULE 1308. Appeal to the Director General. - The decision or order of

the Director shall become final and executory thirty (30) days after receipt of
a copy thereof by the appellant, unless within the said period, a motion for
reconsideration is filed with the Director, or an appeal to the Director
General has been perfected pursuant to the IPOPHL Rules on Appeal. Only
one (1) motion for reconsideration of the decision or order of the Director
shall be allowed. A motion for reconsideration, however, is not required for
purposes of filing an appeal to the Director General.

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 PART 14

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

RULE 1400. Applications Pending on Effective Date of the IP Code. ­

The following regulations shall apply to applications pending on the effective
date of the IP Code on January 1, 1998 hereinafter referred to in this Rule as
"pending applications" :

(a) Filing Date of Pending Applications. - Pending applications shall

retain their priority date or original date of filing with the Bureau of
Patents, Trademarks and Technology Transfer.

(b) Interference. - In all cases where interference could have been

declared under Republic Act No. 166, as amended, and its
implementing rules and regulations, as amended, but the same could
not be declared, such as when one of the applications has been
amended and prosecuted under the IP Code while the other
application or applications were not, the application which first meets
all the requirements for registration shall be allowed and published
for opposition in the IPO eGazette in accordance with these
Regulations. The other applicant or applicants shall have the right to
file a notice of opposition, without need of paying the filing fee, to
determine whether or not any of the applicant/ s and or oppositor j s
has the right to the registration of the mark, and, all other issues,
including the registrability of the mark.

RULE 1401. Duration of Registration. - A registration granted on or

before December 31, 1997 and that remained pending on the effective date of
the IP Code on January 1, 1998 shall be subject to the same conditions for
maintenance as provided in these Regulations and shall have a term of
twenty (20) years. The DAU requirement for registrations that have a term of
twenty (20) years shall be filed within one (1) year from the 5 th, lOth, and 15th
anniversaries of the date of registration of the mark.

RULE 1402. Duration of Renewal of Registration Granted Under

Republic Act No. 166.- Marks registered under Republic Act No . 166 shall
remain in force and effect and shall be renewed within the time and manner
provided for renewal of registration by these Regulations. The renewal shall
be for a duration of ten (10) years. Trade names and marks registered in the
Supplemental Register under Republic Act No . 166 that were subsisting as of
January 1, 1998 shall remain in force but shall no longer be subject to
renewal.

RULE 1403. Registrations Subsisting on January 1, 1998. - The

registration, or extension thereof, in the Supplemental Register under
Republic Act No . 166 of a trade name or mark which was subsisting on the
effectivity of the IP Code on January 1, 1998 shall remain in force for the
entire term for which it was granted. However, such registration shall no
longer be subject to renewal.

RULE 1404. Repealing clause. - All rules and regulations, orders,

circulars and memoranda or parts thereof that are inconsistent with these
Regulations are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

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RULE 1405. Separability. - If any provision m these Regulations or
application of such provision to any circumstance is held invalid, the
remainder of these Regulations shall not be affected thereby.

RULE 1406. Effectivity. - These Regulations shall take effect on 0 1

August 2017, after publication in a newspaper of general circulation. The
Office of the National Administrative Register at the UP Law Center,
University of the Philippines, shall be furnished with three (3) copies hereof
within one (1) week after its publication.

Done this 7th day of July 2017; Taguig City, Philippines.

JOSEPH ~~:e:.M.
ti~e~;o~~~~eral

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