The IPOPHL recently released Amendments to the Revised Rules on Mediation. The salient points are as follows:

1. Mediation proceedings at the level of appeals with the Office of the Director General (ODG) are no longer mandatory.
2. The pre-mediation conference has been renamed as follows: Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Conference.
3. At the ADR Conference and again if the mediation proceedings are terminated, the parties will be briefed of their option to submit the dispute to arbitration in accordance with existing IPOPHL arbitration rules and guidelines.
4. If the parties do not settle, once a Non-Settlement of Dispute has been furnished by the Bureau of Legal Affairs- Alternative Dispute Resolution Services (BLA-ADRS), the adjudication proceedings will immediately resume.

These amendments reflect the IPOPHL’s commitment to furnish IP rights holders with a variety of options in the settlement of IP-related disputes. These also show the BLA’s resolve to facilitate speedier resolution of cases.

The Amendments will take effect on March 29, 2024.