The Philippine Intellectual Property Office (“IPO”) issued on 07 April 2020 Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2020-009 extending for a period of sixty (60) calendar days from the due date the deadline to respond to official actions, declarations, and other documents, including motions for extension of the period to file oppositions to trademark applications, answers, position papers, and appeals, and annuity payments falling from 16 March 2020 to 15 May 2020. All scheduled hearings are likewise suspended until 30 April 2020. This is a result of the extension of the Enhanced Community Quarantine imposed on Luzon Island, Philippines to 30 April 2020.
For invention, utility model, industrial design and trademark applications claiming priority date, online filing must still be used to comply with the prescribed period for claiming of priority date. However, based on MC No. 2020-009, payment of filing fees, including claim for convention priority fee of new applications for patents, utility models, industrial designs, and trademarks, with or without claim of priority date, filed from 16 March 2020 to 15 May 2020 through the IPOPHL electronic filing systems are deemed extended for a period of sixty (60) calendar days from the filing date.
MC No. 2020-09 amends MC No. 2020-08, MC No. 2020-006 and MC No. 2020-007.
For more information on this announcement, you may direct your concerns to [email protected].