In a news release dated January 29, Tiu Laurel said the visiting delegation expressed strong interest in supplying rice to the Philippines, citing surplus production in Pakistan. While welcoming the offer, the agriculture chief stressed that any imports would be carefully calibrated to domestic needs as the country continues to work toward rice self-sufficiency.

“The Philippines welcomes Pakistani rice; but we will limit imports strictly to what the country needs,” Tiu Laurel said. “We will not over-import; food security comes first.”

The Philippines remains one of the world’s largest rice importers, relying on overseas suppliers to plug supply gaps caused by weather disruptions, rising demand, and structural challenges in the farm sector.

Tiu Laurel said the government continues to require reliable international partners while it strengthens local production.

Pakistan’s proposal comes as Manila reviews its sourcing strategy to avoid overdependence on a single supplier.

The agriculture secretary underscored that rice imports would remain a supplement, not a substitute, to domestic output.

Beyond rice, the talks explored two-way trade opportunities in both agricultural and non-agricultural products. Tiu Laurel said Pakistan has requirements for Indian buffalo meat, while expressing openness to importing more Philippine products. These include coconuts, seaweeds, fish, and other agricultural commodities where the Philippines has a competitive edge.

“This is about widening our engagement with countries that are not necessarily our near neighbors, in the spirit of world trade and cooperation,” Tiu Laurel said. “Countries need to help each other by exchanging products to strengthen food security on both sides.”

The Department of Agriculture views such partnerships as part of a broader strategy to stabilize supply chains amid global market volatility, climate risks, and geopolitical uncertainty. By balancing imports with domestic production goals, the government aims to protect consumers from price spikes while safeguarding the livelihood of Filipino farmers.

Any prospective rice imports from Pakistan would still be subject to existing regulatory, sanitary, and quality requirements, the department said, as negotiations and technical discussions continue.

Held on March 19-20, 2025, the forum welcomed delegates from Madrid Protocol member-countries across the Asia-Pacific region, including Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Samoa, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Hongbing Chen, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Director for the Madrid Operations Division, highlighted the Madrid Protocol’s global impact.

“The current number of international trademark registrations represents 80% of the global market. The ASEAN and Pacific regions have seen the fastest pace of accession, with nine countries now members. Regional meetings like this are essential for sharing best practices and fostering collaboration,” Chen said.

IPOPHL Director General Brigitte M. da Costa-Villaluz echoed the importance of international collaborations in facilitating global trademark protection and highlighted the role of the Madrid Protocol in driving brand expansion across borders. 

“As borderless trade expands alongside digital transformations and evolving business needs, it is imperative that we enhance our collective efforts in making the system more responsive, efficient, and user-friendly. We have made significant strides not just on digitization but also with the Madrid System,” she said.

The Madrid Protocol is a WIPO-administered international treaty that makes registering trademarks in multiple signatory-countries simpler and cost-efficient through a single application and payment. 

With 115 members covering 131 countries, the Madrid Protocol continues to be a vital tool for international brand protection. 

During the forum, WIPO speakers shared insights, including the United States as the office of origin with the highest number of filings and the United Kingdom as the most designated contracting party. The office of origin refers to the IP office where an international application originates, while the designated contracting party is the country to which the application is directed.

Since joining the Madrid Protocol in 2012, the Philippines successfully protected over 600 local brands on the international stage. The country also received more than 67,600 international trademark registrations seeking protection in the Philippines.

Further to its objective of broadening trademark protection, it may be recalled that IPOPHL also launched the Juan for the World program in 2021, designed to help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) expand into international markets. This initiative waives handling fees amounting to P2,617.92 and connects applicants with organizations that can assist with other Madrid Protocol-related costs. 

In 2024, IPOPHL also introduced the Madrid e-Filing system, streamlining the application and payment processes for both applicants and the office of origin, further improving the efficiency of international trademark registration.

Other Madrid Protocol members shared significant highlights from their progress over the past year. In February 2024, Malaysia joined the “Check Acceptance by DCP Tool” of the Madrid Goods and Services Manager (MGSM), further streamlining the trademark process. Thailand now requires more specific language in description of goods. Several countries, including Bhutan, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Mongolia, and Vietnam, are utilizing the IPAS system, similar to the Philippines, improving their trademark registration processes.

Bhutan advanced with Madrid e-Filing, overcoming challenges and aligning its system with global best practices. Japan focused on reducing irregularity notices and promoting Madrid e-Filing through initiatives such as flyers, IP events, and collaborations with the WIPO Japan Office. Mongolia adopted a flexible approach to partial refusals, offering a 3-month response period with an option for an additional 3 months, minimizing the impact on applicants. Additionally, Singapore now uses invalidations for previously registered marks that have been cancelled.

The forum served as a valuable platform for sharing best practices in examining international trademark applications under the Madrid system. Participants discussed procedural updates, legal developments, technological innovations, and strategies to expand the system’s reach. 

Meanwhile, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) also highlighted JPO’s commitment to aid the further development of the Madrid System. Cooperative activities have taken place between WIPO and JPO, including the establishment of the WIPO-Japan Funds in Trust as Japan continues to work with IP offices to further enhance the IP system.”

As part of the event, IPOPHL hosted a refresher seminar for Philippine trademark stakeholders titled “Expanding Your Brand Globally: Mastering the Madrid System for Effective Trademark Protection Beyond the Philippines.” The seminar drew trademark applicants and registrants eager to learn about the Madrid system’s basics, examination processes, compliance with office actions, its benefits, and feedback on the Madrid e-Filing system.

The Bureau of Trademarks (BOT) also underscored the valuable collaboration and opportunity for Philippine products to access the global markets. 

According to BOT, collaborations and partnerships like this are key to encouraging Filipinos to use the Madrid System to protect their marks abroad. With the strong support of WIPO and JPO, IPOPHL is able to help Filipino industries expand globally, boosting trade, and contributing to the overall growth of the Philippine economy.The third-day seminar concluded with a panel discussion featuring lawyers and stakeholders, where they explored topics such as the costs and fees of filing international registrations, the use of Madrid tools like the MGSM and updates on the Global Brand Database. These impactful collaborations were organized and sponsored by WIPO and the JPO, serving as an annual event aimed at strengthening the Madrid system and empowering trademark owners to leverage its potential for global brand protection.

Ambassador Kazi made the suggestion to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. in a meeting last December 16 on bolstering agricultural trade between the two countries. He proposed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on this, a proposal warmly received by Secretary Tiu Laurel, who expressed hopes for its formalization by mid-2025.

The Ambassador noted Pakistan’s position as the Philippines’ third largest rice supplier behind Vietnam and Thailand.

His proposal would fill a quarter of Manila’s import requirements for the staple and could transform rice import dynamics and enhance food security in the Philippines.

Ambassador Kazi also sought assurance on the continuation of reduced tariffs on imported rice, and Secretary Tiu Laurel indicated the possibility of extending the tariff reduction until 2028, if warranted.

Beyond rice imports, the talks delved into diversifying agricultural trade between the two countries.

Ambassador Kazi encouraged the Philippines to tap into Pakistan’s vast Muslim market by exporting fresh produce such as mangoes, bananas, and durian.

Meanwhile, Secretary Tiu Laurel expressed a strong interest in leveraging Pakistan’s advanced agricultural expertise in irrigation, post-harvest technology, and Halal certification processes.

This dialogue underscores a shared commitment to fostering deeper agricultural collaboration, paving the way for expanded bilateral trade that could bring economic and food security benefits to both nations.

Endend

This is one of the urgent measures proposed by Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in its recent report on the state of TB care for children in 14 high-burden countries.

In a media orientation in Manila on November 29, MSF said that the Philippines is among eight countries accounting for two-thirds of global TB cases. The other countries are India, China, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The report, titled TACTIC: Test, Avoid, Cure TB in Children, underscores that children with TB remain neglected in global efforts to combat the disease. It reveals significant gaps in national TB policies, with only one country achieving full alignment with WHO guidelines, seven achieving more than 80% alignment, and four falling below 50%.

Critically, only five of the surveyed countries—Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, India, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Republic of South Sudan, and Uganda—have updated guidelines to enable TB treatment in children based on clinical symptoms when bacteriological tests are unavailable. Even fewer countries have allocated resources to implement these guidelines effectively.

The WHO’s 2022 recommendations, including treatment decision algorithms and short, oral treatment regimens, are pivotal in drastically improving TB diagnosis and care for children.

“TB is curable, also in children,” said Stijn Deborggraeve, Diagnostics Advisor at the MSF Access Campaign. “Yet countries are lagging in adopting these solutions. Every delay means more children die unnecessarily.”

The report also highlights the pressing need for newer, child-friendly TB drug formulations and shorter, all-oral treatment regimens. Despite their availability, bureaucratic barriers and funding gaps hinder their procurement, leaving children to endure unsuitable and potentially harmful treatment options.

Dr. Cathy Hewison, Head of the MSF TB working group, emphasized the urgency of addressing these barriers.

“It’s unfortunate that child-friendly formulations of TB drugs are still not available in many countries due to bureaucratic barriers and funding gaps,” she said.

“We call on governments, donors, and global health organizations to act with urgency, ensuring no child dies or suffers from a preventable, treatable disease like TB. The tools and treatments we have must reach the children who need them most – now,” she added.

The WHO estimates that 1.25 million children and young adolescents fall ill with TB annually, yet only half receive diagnosis and treatment. The global TB crisis has worsened, with the disease reclaiming its position as the world’s deadliest infectious killer in 2023, according to the Global Tuberculosis Report 2024 shared by MSF.

The time to act is now, MSF insists. Policymakers, donors, and global health agencies must accelerate efforts to implement WHO’s recommendations and eliminate the disparities in TB care for children.