IPOPHL RECEIVES APPLICATION FOR ‘MADE IN CLARK PHILIPPINES’ MARK

BY KEVIN GALANG

THE Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) received the application for “Made in Clark Philippines” mark submitted by Clark Development Corporation (CDC).

According to CDC head, attorney Agnes VST Devanadera, she expects the official approval of its application for a local certification mark from IPOPHL.

At the recent Business Interdependence Conference (BIC),  Devanadera handed over the application for the “Made in Clark” trademark to attorney Ann Claire Cabochan, deputy director general of IPOPHL.

The certification mark will help identify products and services that meet specific quality standards.

Members of a group use a certification mark under specific guidelines to identify products or services with shared qualities or origins.

Undersecretary for Strategic Partnerships and Engagements Joee Guilas, representing the Office of the Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs, emphasized that the certification mark will empower consumers to identify high-quality products while safeguarding them against misrepresentation.

“For Clark, adopting this certification mark can enhance our local products’ reputation and marketability. This is a positive step in making the world embrace what is Filipino, in the same way, we, in the national government, are also opening our arms to embrace investments we hope to come our country’s way,” Guilas said.

Meanwhile, the CDC submitted the first application for a local certification mark under the 2023 Revised Trademark Regulations, according to a press release from IPOPHL.

IPOPHL has promulgated the revised rules and regulations on trademarks, service marks, trade names, and marked or stamped containers.

The new rules under Memorandum Circular (MC) 2023-001, prepared by the Bureau of Trademarks (BOT), took effect on February 14, 2023, replacing the revised trademark regulations of 2017.

“Made in Clark Philippines was born at a time when economic zones must build a stronger business identity to encourage the sale of local products and to foster a more competitive market,” Cabochan said.

The report indicates that certification marks are a special type of trademark indicating goods and services that meet the standards set by a certifying body.

“By facilitating the registration of the CDC’s certification mark, I am confident that IPOPHL will greatly mission to discover new revenue streams towards the overall economic growth,” Cabochan added.

Cabochan explained that with 1,155 locators under the Clark Freeport Zone, spanning agro-industrial, aviation, commercial, developer, tourism, and industrial activities, the CDC is encouraging all locators to adapt the mark, enabling a deeper appreciation for Clark-made products.

As the certifying body of the “Made in Clark Philippines,” the CDC may grant the certification mark to products manufactured in the economic zone and produced by CDC-registered business establishments.