IPOPHL, Comelec create reporting mechanism for intellectual property violations during campaign season
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) have partnered to develop a platform for reporting intellectual property (IP)-related violations that may occur during the campaign period for the upcoming polls.
The IPOPHL said on Friday that it signed a memorandum of agreement with Comelec last January 24 to strengthen their commitment to ensure that election candidates comply with IP laws.
“This agreement will allow us to work together more effectively in educating candidates and their teams about the importance of respecting IP rights,” IPOPHL Deputy Director General for Policy, Legal Affairs and External Relations Nathaniel Arevalo said in a statement.
It will also streamline reporting mechanisms and enforcement efforts, ensuring that violations are addressed promptly and fairly, he added.
The two government agencies signed a memorandum of understanding in October 2024 last year, with the IPOPHL citing it as a signal of their commitment to ensuring that candidates respect IP rights when developing campaign materials.
The government’s IP rights body said that the latest agreement would strengthen the partnership by defining the activities and their implementation.
Under the new agreement, the mechanism for violation reports, monitoring, actions, and enforcement will be managed by a joint technical working group.
From the side of the country’s IP regulator, this will include their Bureau of Copyright and Related Rights (BCRR), Bureau of Legal Affairs (BLA) and IP Rights Enforcement Office (IEO).
The IPOPHL said that the Comelec has agreed to integrate IP protection guidelines into their election-related rules and regulations, as well as to distribute educational materials on IP rights.
The two parties are also expected to conduct a joint initiative to increase IP awareness among candidates, political parties and voters.
According to the schedule released by the Comelec, the campaign period for senatorial and party list candidates will run from February 11 to May 10, excluding April 17, Maundy Thursday, and April 18, Good Friday.
Meanwhile, the campaign period for candidates for the House of Representatives, parliamentary, provincial, city and municipal officials will be held from March 28 to May 10.
