Sagada, Mt. Province Seeks Intellectual Property Office Over Commercial Branding

September 16, 2020 JUST IN

BAGUIO CITY (September 16, 2020) – Local legislators in Sagada, Mt. Province is requesting the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPhl) to get the consent of the Sagada Local Government Unit before issuing business registration to any person or group planning to use “Sagada” as a brand name or label on products, services and establishments.

Sagada is a world-renowed tourist destination known for its breathtaking sceneries, caves, culture, among others.

The Sagada council said with the still growing lure of Sagada as a tourist destination among local and foreign tourists, locally produced crafts and products have increased in demand and in fact became a popular signature well-loved among visitors.

Sagada products bear the quality and ingenuity that is represented in the name, added the local legislators.

There are reports of products sold especially online with the label “Sagada” only half the price set for original Sagada products that are not genuinely made from Sagada. “These resulted against the ill quality of those products people bought online falsely bearing the Sagada label”/

Such concerns prompted the Sagada LGU to make an immediate action against misrepresentation and misuse of “Sagada” as a label or product or a name of establishment.

The council stressed that it is very alarming that the careless use of Sagada as a product label or name of establishment has devaluated the reputation of the town. Such misrepresentation, the council stated, may elicit a more serious problem especially on the economic endeavors of the town.

In order to address the issue and avoid the exploitation of Sagada, local egislators are imploring IPOPhl to help in sustaining the economic reputation of Sagada by tapping and coordinating with the LGU before issuing business registration to individuals or groups who intend to use Sagada for their businesses.

Artemio A. Dumlao