The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines ("IPOPHL") has invited all stakeholders and the general public for a public consultation on the Draft Memorandum on the Accreditation of IPOPHL Mediators ("Draft Memorandum").
The Draft Memorandum seeks to amend Office Order No. 197, series of 2010 on the Guidelines for the Accreditation of IPOPHL Mediators ("Office Order"). Specifically, it seeks to amend certain provisions on the qualifications of mediators, requirements for application, selection process, accreditation, term of accreditation, and renewal of accreditation.
The Draft Memorandum requires that an accredited mediator must, among others, have at least seven years of experience in mediating cases or 10 years of legal practice involving intellectual property. For reference, the Office Order currently requires that mediators must possess at least seven years of experience in mediating cases or in legal practice involving intellectual property disputes.
The Draft Memorandum also added some requirements for accreditation in the Office Order and now requires the submission of PNP Clearance, Barangay Clearance, and an Affidavit of a Disinterested Person.
The Draft Memorandum also increases the required number of handled cases for the renewal of accreditation. Accredited mediators must mediate at least 20 cases and successfully settle at least 10 cases for their accreditation to be renewed, rather 12 and six cases respectively, under the Office Order.
Under the Draft Memorandum, all accredited mediators shall have a term of two years, subject to renewal, instead of the one-year term provided in the Office Order.
