Does the Philippines recognize International Conventions and Reciprocity Rule?
A. Yes. Any person who is a national or who is domiciled or has a real and effective industrial establishment in a country which is a party to any convention, treaty or agreement relating to intellectual property rights or the repression of unfair competition, to which the Philippines is also a party, or extends reciprocal rights to nationals of the Philippines by law shall be entitled to benefits to the extent necessary to give effect to any provision of such convention treaty or reciprocal law, in addition to the rights to which any owner of an intellectual property right is otherwise entitled by this Act (R.A. 8293). Thus, a national of any member country of the Paris Convention can file the same trademark application in the Philippines, expressly claiming convention priority within six (6) months from its filing in a country member of the Paris Convention and shall be considered as filed as of the day the application was first filed in the the said country. The same is likewise tru
