Required documents of trademark renewal in Philippines

In the Philippines, for the renewal of a trademark, the following are required:

1. Provided payment of an extra cost, a certificate of registration may be renewed for ten years at any time within six months before its expiration or within six months after its expiration.
2. The renewal request must be filed to the Intellectual Property Philippines’ Bureau of Trademarks (IPO).
3. The examiner has the authority to deny the renewal application for any valid reason. The renewal application may be completed or amended to address the refusal, or the case may be appealed to the Director if the refusal has become final.
4. The registrant may request for the issuance of a Certificate of Renewal of Registration. Upon payment of the required fee, the Certificate of Renewal of Registration shall be issued.

The governing body that controls the registration process is the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL). Specifically, the Bureau of Trademarks of IPOPHL is in charge of examining applications for the registration of marks and issuing certificates of registration.

In order to maintain a trademark or renew a registration, a declaration of actual use (DAU) must be filed within the following periods:

• Three years from the filing date of the application;
• One year from the fifth anniversary of the date of registration of the mark ;
• One year from the fifth anniversary of the date of renewal of the mark; and
• One year from the date of renewal.

Failure to file a DAU will result in the removal of the mark from the Trademark Register.