Palace elated over Phl removal from US IPR watchlist

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang is grateful for the removal of the Philippines from the United States’ watchlist of countries with dubious record of intellectual property rights violation, saying the decision of the US Trade Representative – which coincided with the visit of President Barack Obama – was “a recognition of recent reforms championed by the administration.”

The USTR Special 301 watchlist, on which the Philippines had appeared continuously since 1994, tracks “countries that deny adequate and effective protection for intellectual property rights (IPR) or deny fair and equitable market access for persons that rely on intellectual property protection.”

Being placed on the list makes a country “the focus of increased bilateral attention” in the areas of IPR protection and enforcement.

“This serves as a testament to the government’s continuing commitment to uphold the rights of professionals and consumers alike, ensuring that their hard work is recognized and protected by legislation,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a statement. “We welcome this recognition from the USTR, along with their promise to maintain a positive engagement with the Philippines.”

“This marks a significant step forward as we harmonize our IPR protection efforts with those of other nations, never tiring in the task of safeguarding the rights of our citizens. Rest assured that we will continue to strive in the same vein, as we reap even more achievements and work toward greater success,” he said.

Earlier, President Aquino thanked Obama for America’s continuous financial assistance to further boost the Philippine economy.

The President said he and Obama recognized the importance of strong economic engagement for the continued growth of both the Philippines and the US.

“US support is also coursed through the Millennium Challenge Corp., which supports the implementation of projects on road infrastructure, poverty reduction and good governance with a $434-million grant from 2011 to 2016,” Aquino said in a statement he read on Monday during a joint press briefing with Obama at Malacañang.

Aquino also said the US Federal Aviation Administration’s decision to reinstate the Philippines to Category 1 status would create mutual benefit for both the US and the Philippines as more routes would be opened between the US and the Philippines.

Focus on awareness

With the removal of the country from the USTR watchlist, authorities are now focusing on increasing awareness among Filipinos of the illegality and drawbacks of buying counterfeit products.

“Our next step is to raise awareness to tell consumers that it’s wrong to buy counterfeit,” Ricardo Blancaflor, director general of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) said during a press conference. “The whole country should be aware of its strong impact on the economy.”

Blancaflor said IPOPHL targets a 100 percent awareness of intellectual property laws among Filipinos from the current 54 percent shown in studies.

“We’d like to increase this and from awareness, we’d like to build respect for IP,” Allan Gepty, deputy director general of the IPOPHL, said.

Blancaflor also said there is a need for authorities to address Internet pirates’ taking advantage of advanced technology.

The US identifies in its annual USTR Special 301 Report trading partners that do not adequately and effectively protect intellectual property rights.

Countries are categorized under “Priority Foreign Countries,” “Priority Watch List” and ordinary “Watch List.”

According to the IPOPHL, only the Philippines and Israel were removed from the watch list this year. –With Reinir Padua