Creation of Asean Patent Office proposed

Optical Media Board (OMB) chairman Edu Manzano is proposing the formation of an Asean Patent Office to fight compact discs (CDs), video compact discs and digital video discs (DVD) piracy in the region.

"We are also exploring the possibility of an Asean trademark system, including an Asean Trademark Office to promote regionwide protection," Manzano said in a statement.

Manzano, who has just been appointed chief of the OMB (formerly known as the Videogram Regulatory Board) likewise said that they are proposing to hold a regional summit in Manila to take up common regional concerns on the issue.

In fact, the Philippines is taking the initiative in not only calling for a summit but also hosting the event.

The summit should be able to discuss the importance and the problems of intellectual property rights (IPR) with regards to trade

within the Asean, as well as allegations that the region is notorious regarding the IPR violations.

The possibility of establishing a regional system for IPR cooperation is also being considered, the OMB chief added.

Earlier this year, the United States Customs Service said that damages in lost patents and copyrights from pirated media products from the Philippines amounted $116 million.

No less than US Assistant Secretary of Commerce Willian Lash was quoted as saying that the Philippines would not attract more investments and become more globally competitive if it fails to crack down on counterfeiters particularly selling and exporting pirated music and VCDs.

The US ranked the Philippines as the seventh leading exporter of pirated goods to the United States.