DTI chief eyes amending IP law to boost protection vs. piracy, counterfeit

The Department of Trade and Industry is planning to propose amendments to RA 8293 or the Intellectual Property (IP) Code to further strengthen protection against piracies and counterfeiting, Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual said.

During the 2024 post-State of the Nation Address discussion earlier this week., Pascual said this move is to support startup businesses against the prevalence of copyright infringement.

“To support the startups, we need a strong Intellectual Property Law. We have an existing one, and I’m going to present to the President, hopefully soon, the proposed amendments to this law so we can strengthen the enforcement of the law and the further protection of intellectual property owners against piracy and counterfeiting,” Pascual said.

Measures have been filed in Congress seeking to revise the IP Code with provisions to curb digital theft content and address the prevalence of internet scams.

One of which is House Bill 7600, which has been approved on the third and final reading.

It gives the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) “additional powers to prevent counterfeit or pirated goods and contents.”

The measure also allows the organization to “gather intelligence information and investigate violations of the IP Code and develop countermeasures to deter counterfeit or pirated goods or content.” — Celine Serquiña/BM, GMA Integrated News