The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the development and protection of Geographical Indication (GI) covering agricultural products in the country.

“Our farmers are our greatest scientists,” Agriculture Secretary Manny F. Piñol said.

As a farmer himself, Sec. Piñol observed that a lot of Filipino farmers who have developed innovations in agriculture, have not had their products patented.

“If we could provide farmers opportunities to patent their products, then we can help them sold it commercially,” Piñol said.

Geographical Indication refers to signs used to identify a product with a given quality, reputation or characteristics that is distinctively attributable to its geographical origin. A product with a GI registration prevents its unauthorized use, provides financial gain to its producers, and serves as a legal protection in other World Trade Organization countries.

Under the MOU, DA will identify the potential GI products, capacity building of GI groups, and crafting of Code of Practice which will ensure that rules relative to identification are observed and enforced among their members.

The IPOPHL, for their part, will take charge of providing training and workshops for DA technical personnel relative to the intellectual property component of GI and other legal framework.

Bicol pili nut, Davao pomelo, and Guimaras mango, among others were identified for GI registration.

According to IPOPHL Director General Josephine R. Santiago, the Philippines is not included in the list of countries with recognized GI products.

“I think we should aim to be part of the the list because of the opportunities it entails,” she said. ### (Kristel Merle, DA-AFID)