By Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net

LOCAL filings for trademark registration in the country rose by 7 percent in the first half of 2008, up from last year, a government executive says.

“This increase is good. Five years ago, about 65 percent of foreign trademarks are registered in the country versus the local ones but this year, the proportion is reversed,” says lawyer Adrian Cristobal, who is also director general of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IP Philippines).

Driving the increase in local filings is the growing awareness of Filipinos on intellectual property (IP) protection and the increased activities of small and medium enterprises.

“Intellectual property is anything produced by the human mind; it is an asset that any person can own, sell, license or donate and requires protection,” adds Cristobal.

Cristobal said although IP is intangible, it requires protection from theft or unauthorized use. Types of IP such as patents, designs, trademarks and copyrights offer protection to the creator, thus giving them incentives to further create and innovate.

By registering an IP, creators can get: economic incentives, through royalties and moral incentives, through creative motivation.

To promote awareness on IP rights and the benefits of registering works, IP Philippines opened the “Art Spectrum” exhibit at the Alab Art Space and Innovation Area. The first exhibit showcases works of 16 faculty members of the University of Sto. Tomas College of Fine Arts. Production designer Noel Flores has an exhibit of futuristic pieces of wardrobes, masks and costumes used in local sci-fi TV programs.

“Art represents its creator and thus, artists should be given proper due,” says Cristobal.

In the Philippines, the IP system can be categorized into two: industrial property and copyright and related arts, said Cristobal.

Persons can register IP rights for innovations with industrial and commercial use under industrial property as patents, trademarks, utility models and industrial design. Copyright refers to IP rights given to creators or authors of artistic works, which include literature, music, fine art and technology-based works, says Cristobal.