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Philippines

Legal Basis 1987 Philippine Constitution effective from 2 February, 1987
Republic Act No. 8293 Intellectual Property Code effective from 1 January, 1998
Republic Act No. 9168, Plant Varieties Protection Act effective from 7 June, 2002
IP Philippines Memorandum Circulars and Orders
Major international treaties signed
  • Patent Co-operation Treaty
  • Paris Convention
  • Budapest Treaty
  • Agreement on Trade Related Aspect of Intellectual Property Rights  (TRIPS)
Costs of obtaining a patent Please contact us at philippines@mirandah.com
Average time to obtain a patent About 36 months for PCT national phase filings
About 52 months for Convention and Direct filings
About 6 months for Utility Models about 24-48 months from filing in the Philippines
Official language for patent prosecution English
Non-patentable subject matter
  • Discoveries, scientific theories and mathematical method
  • Schemes, rules and methods of performing mental acts, playing games or doing business, and programs for computers
  • Methods of medical treatment for the human or animal body for surgery
  • Plant varieties or animal breeds
  • Aesthetic creations
  • Anything that is contrary to public order or morality
Grace period for prior disclosure or sale Up to 12 months before the first filing
Major prosecution events (calculated from priority or filing date)
Event PCT-National Phase Non-PCT
Request for Search 12 months 18 months
Request for Examination 34 months 21 months
Filing Due Date 30 months 12 months
Payment of Annual Fees 48 months 48 months
Renewal (after grant) Every year Every year
Extension of deadlines (i)    2 months for responding to Office Actions
(ii)   18 months for Search and Examination events
(iii)  2 months for most other deadlines
Pharmaceutical Data Exclusivity Laws Not available
Parallel Imports Permissible
Term of patent 20 years
Patent Term Extension Not available
Restoration of Lapsed Patent No specific provisions are present. However, in case the application is pending examination, an application can be revived by filing a Petition for Revival within 3 months from the mailing date of the Notice of Abandonment.
Search and Examination Local examination of patents is not compulsory. Search and Examination reports established in other countries or during PCT international phase can be relied upon for the purposes of patent grant in the Philippines.
Other forms of patents (e.g. petty/innovation patents) Utility model
Useful links www.mirandah.com
www.ipophil.gov.ph
Infringement offence Civil and Administrative
Criminal (in certain cases)
Specialized courts for IP Yes
Outline of the enforcement steps (i)  Notice of Cease and Desist
(ii) Action for Infringement
Relief against groundless threats Not available
Declaration of non-infringement Not Available
Preliminary injunctions Available
Time frame for various legal actions Infringement proceedings: 12-24 months
Alternative dispute resolution Mediation
Availability of damages and other relief for infringement
(i) Injunction
(ii) Loss of revenue
(iii) Account of profits
(iv) Attorney’s fees and other expenses for litigation