The Manila Times

USE OF ‘BIKOL PILI’ COLLECTIVE MARK APPROVED

ANNA LEAH E. GONZALES

THE Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (Ipophl) has approved the collective mark registration of Bicol pili products.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Ipophl said its Bureau of Trademarks (BoT) awarded the certificate of registration of the “Bikol Pili” collective mark to the Orgullo Kan Bikol (OKB) Association Inc. in Legazpi City on June 14, 2022.

The mark will be used for a total of 13 classes of goods and services based on the Nice Classification.

This will include raw and processed pili food products, as well as non-food products such as garments, fashion accessories and wearables, cosmetics and beauty products, and essential oils, among others.

The OKB is a Bicol-based association of more than a hundred local entrepreneurs and an active member of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in promoting Bicol’s products.

“The collective mark serves to distinguish the origin and quality of pili products made and marketed by OKB members.

It symbolizes OKB’s collective philosophy of supporting the pili industry to reach its potential and contribute to the socioeconomic empowerment of the Bicol Region,” OKB President Nona Nicerio said.

Nicerio said the use of the Bikol Pili collective mark is expected to further empower their members — mostly farmers, producers and small-scale entrepreneurs in the region — who are now entitled to use the collective mark to promote their pili products.

BoT Director Jesus Antonio Ros said the mark will be “an effective branding tool that would stir increased consumer confidence, enhance competitiveness, attract more investors, sustain demand and productivity, and provide additional employment opportunities.”

“We wish the OKB will be able to sustain these efforts in promoting all products covered by the Bikol PIli mark as the pili tree is very distinct and endemic in Bicol,” Ros said.

Ipophl Director General Rowel Barba said the approval of collective mark registration is “a huge leap not just for our producers and traders but also for our nation.”

“The wide-ranging opportunities from having a collective mark protection will, in the long run, foster inclusive economic growth,” Barba added.

The push for the Bikol Pili mark is a collaborative effort between Ipophl, the World Intellectual Property Organization and DTI with the support of other agencies, Departments of Agriculture, and Science and Technology.

Agribusiness

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2022-06-30T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-06-30T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://digitaledition.manilatimes.net/article/282106345329986

The Manila Times