House of Representatives (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA

The House of Representatives has overwhelmingly passed on third and final reading a measure that seeks to strengthen the powers and functions of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL). Approved via vote of 267-0-1 (yes-no-abstain) was House Bill (HB) No. 7600, which would amend the Intellectual Property Code (IP Code) and give IPOPHL additional powers to prevent counterfeit or pirated goods or contents. Deputy Speaker and Antipolo City 1st district Rep. Roberto Puno announced the bill's passage on third and final reading during plenary session last May 22 after the conduct of nominal voting. “With the proposed additional functions of the Intellectual Property Office and the new amendments to Republic Act (RA) No. 8293, we hope to respond to recent advances in technology since its last revision. We also hope that with this important legislation, we will be able to adopt some of the current best practices in the international community,” Speaker Martin Romualdez said. “Our laws must also respond to prevalent and more advanced forms of piracy and counterfeiting nowadays and with this proposed law, we hope to support governmental efforts that would protect intellectual property,” Romualdez added. The bill defines counterfeit and pirated goods and authorizes the IPOPHL to gather intelligence information, and investigate violations of the IP Code and develop countermeasures to deter counterfeit or pirated goods or content. If passed into law, the measure will also allow IPOPHL to visit establishments and businesses suspected to be in violation of RA No.8293. It adds a new Section 216-A on Preventive Action on Online Infringement which empowers the IPOPHL, after due notice and hearing, to disable access to an online location or website and prevent further access to an online location whose primary purpose or primary effect is to infringe the copyright or facilitate copyright infringement. It would also allow copyright owners or the exclusive licensee of copyright to submit an application to the IPOPHL to order the disabling of access to any infringing online location identified in the application. The bill likewise increases the range of administrative fines that can be imposed by the Director of Legal Affairs from a minimum of P5,000 and a maximum of P150,000 to a minimum of P 100,000 and a maximum of P1 million. The maximum additional fine for each day of a continuing violation is also raised from P1,000 to P10,000. Some of the principal authors of the bill are Reps. Joey Sarte Salceda, Manuel Jose Dalipe, Stella Luz Quimbo, Mario Vittorio “Marvey” Mariño, Joselito Sacdalan, and Jose Alvarez.