The President of the Philippines Benigno Simeon C. Aquino have already signed the amendment of the intellectual Property (IP) code which was allegedly curtails the rights to bring in imported materials such as books and optical media and any content from the Internet.
An official copy of the Republic Act No. 10372 entitled “An Act Amending Certain Provisions of Republic Act No. 8293, otherwise Known As The ‘Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines,’ and for other purposes.” were already given to the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines on March 4, 2013.
The amendment of the RA 10372 was signed by the President on February 28, 2013. According to the amendment made to the IP Code, the IPOPHIL (Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines) will now give the law enforcement powers to the office.
Before the signed amendment of the IP Law, only enforcement agencies belonging to the National Committe on Intellectual Property Rights (NCIPR) — the Bureau of Customs, NBI, Optical Media Board and PNP, are the only agencies who can catch counterfeiters.
RA 10372 will take effect 15 days after its publication in at least two newspapers of general circulation.
Download the complete copy of the IP Code Amendments here: RA 10372 IP Code of the Philippines
