Divina Gracia E. Pedron | Graziela Ayn Louise V. Delfin
On 25 February 2026, the Philippine Intellectual Property Office (“IPOPHL”) issued Memorandum Circular (“MC”) No. 2026-007 or the Revised Rules and Regulations on Copyright Registration and Copyright Related Services (the “Copyright Services Rules”).
A key development under the Copyright Services Rules is the shift to purely electronic filing, as applications for copyright registration and copies of the works for registration must now be submitted through the IPOPHL’s designated online system, together with the prescribed forms and identification documents of the applicant.
The Copyright Services Rules also expanded the grounds for refusal of registration, including when the work lacks human authorship, originality, or the minimum degree of creativity, or when the work falls within the public domain or constitutes a traditional cultural expression.
Upon submission, applications shall be examined for completeness and consistency of information. If deemed compliant, the applicant must settle the prescribed fees within thirty (30) days. Applications shall no longer be denied outright, as a copyright registrability report shall be issued to inform the applicant that the submitted work is unregistrable and the grounds for such refusal. Applicants may then file a Request for Review with the Bureau of Copyright and Other Related Rights (“Bureau”) Director and subsequently appeal to the IPOPHL Director General.
Once an application is approved, the Copyright Certificate of Registration will be issued electronically within seven (7) working days for regular applications, twenty (20) working days for highly technical applications, and forty-five (45) working days for bulk applications.
Applications for the recordation of copyright assignments, licenses, and mortgages must likewise be filed electronically.
The Copyright Services Rules now allow minor corrections to issued certificates, such as typographical errors, without the approval of the Bureau Director. Substantive corrections remain subject to the Bureau Director’s review. The Bureau Director may also motu proprio cancel a certificate of registration upon discovery of fraud or material misrepresentation in the application, or upon expiration of copyright protection.
The Copyright Services Rules also provide for resale enrollment, allowing qualifying works to be registered in the Registry of Qualified Works and issued a certificate confirming eligibility for resale rights.
The Copyright Services Rules shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication, or on 20 March 2026. Regardless of these new rules, the National Library of the Philippines may still receive legal deposit of works.
If you want to apply for copyright registration or need more information on these new rules, you may contact Atty. Divina Gracia E. Pedron at de.pedron@cruzmarcelo.com.