The Philippine Intellectual Property Office (“IPO”) issued on 27 April 2020 Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2020-011 continuing its work-from-home arrangement until 15 May 2020 and extending deadlines 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 within the period 16 March 2020 to 15 May 2020 as follows:
- For deadlines falling from 16 March 2020 to 31 March 2020, submissions may be filed until 31 May 2020.
- Deadlines falling from 01 April 2020 to 15 May 2020 are extended for a period of sixty (60) calendar days from the due date
All scheduled hearings are likewise suspended until 15 May 2020. This is a result of the extension of the Enhanced Community Quarantine imposed in Metro Manila, Philippines to 15 May 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. 2020-011, 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. 2020-011 amends MC No. 2020-09, 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].