The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL)’s immediate

predecessor was the Bureau of Patents, Trademarks and Technology

Transfer (BPTTT).

The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL)’s Quasi-

Judicial Bodies:

1.) The Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Office (IEO) implements

administrative enforcement function of the Intellectual Property Office
pursuant to the mandate under Section 7, (c) and (d) Republic Act No. 8293,
as amended, also known as the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines
which is to:

 Undertake enforcement functions supported by concerned agencies

such as the Philippine National Police, the National Bureau of
Investigation, the Bureau of Customs, the Optical Media Board, and the
local government units, among others; and
 To conduct visits during reasonable hours to establishments and
businesses engaging in activities violating intellectual property rights
based on report, information or complaint received by the office;

The administrative enforcement action of IPOPHL can be initiated by a report

or through the filing of a verified complaint.

Functions:
 To receive and docket complaints or reports relating to IPR violations
from right holders or authorized representatives, other government
agencies, and the public in general;
 To evaluate the complaint or report and take appropriate action thereon
to ensure enforcement of IPR;
 To coordinate with the right holders, industry associations and/or
relevant government agencies in the conduct of its enforcement
functions;
 To formulate policies and programs to ensure enforcement of IPR, and
to prepare an annual report on the accomplishments, progress, and
challenges of IPR enforcement in the country;
 To keep all records of enforcement such as, but not limited to,
complaints, reports, minutes of enforcement meetings, post-operation
reports, and other similar or related documents.
 To provide assistance in the enforcement of orders, writs, and
processes issued by Bureau of Legal Affairs and the Office of the
Director General

Actions:
 Issuance of notice/warning to the respondent/s to observe compliance
with the provisions of the Intellectual Property Code, as amended;
 Issuance of visitorial order on the subject premises;
  Issuance of compliance order against the respondent/s; or
  Immediate filing of administrative complaint before the DTI, the local
government unit
concerned,or other government agencies;
 Referral of the case to a law enforcement agency for case build-up;
 Recommendation of application for search warrant;
 Dismissal of the complaint;
 Referral of the case to other government agencies for filing of charges
for violation of
other laws, rules or regulations; or
  Such other actions necessary to ensure compliance with the IP Code .

2.) Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) under Bureau of Legal Affairs,

resolves cases of IP disputes through mediation.

This function is carried out by a dedicated unit, the Alternative Dispute

Resolution Services (ADRS), which is under the Bureau of Legal
Affairs. The primary function of the ADR is to assist the parties during the
mediation period to facilitate the resolution of the dispute. The services of
ADRS include:

 Briefing the parties prior to mediation to familiarize them on the rules

and procedures of IPOPHL on mediation;  
 Assists the parties in the selection of mediator;
 Provides case management service during the duration of mediation;
and
 Return the case to the originating office upon conclusion of mediation.

IPOPHL, in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organization

(WIPO) is also offering WIPO Mediation. The WIPO Mediation Option may be
advantageous for international parties seeking related disputes in multiple
jurisdictions.

3.) The National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights (NCIPR) is an

interagency body that formulates and implements plans and policies, as well
as strengthen the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights in
the country.

The NCIPR is composed of 12 members, with the Department of Trade and

Industry as chairman and the IPOPHL as vice chairman.

Chaired by the Department of Trade and Industry with IPOPHL as its vice
chair, NCIPR is also composed of  the following:
 
1. Department of Justice
2. Bureau of Customs
3. Food and Drug Authority
4. National Bureau of Investigation
5. Philippine National Police
6. Optical Media Board
 7. National Book Development Board
8. Office of the Special Envoy on Transnational Crime
9. Department of the Interior and Local Government
10. National Telecommunications Commission

Functions:
 
 Intensify public information and education campaign on the importance
of IPR to national development and global competitiveness.
 Intensify regular and effective enforcement against IPR violations, and
to allocate sufficient resources to ensure effective prosecution of
pirates and counterfeiters.
 Maintain appropriate coordination with the Judiciary to ensure that
courts are adequately skilled in intellectual property cases, and
improve the adjudication of IP cases.
 Provide the Executive and the Legislative with policy and legislative
proposals on IP laws, ensuring that these are in compliance with the
country’s existing international obligations embodied in treaties and
other agreements;
 Maintain a database and enforcement monitoring system, consolidate
information and reports from other agencies, and submit quarterly
reports to the President, and provide copies to the Executive Secretary
and the Cabinet Secretary.