Hong Kong – Hong Kong and Philippines sign MOU on co-operation in field of intellectual property (with photos)

Hong Kong and Philippines sign MOU on co-operation in field of intellectual property (with photos)

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     The Intellectual Property Department (IPD) today (December 8) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) to strengthen co-operation in the field of intellectual property (IP).

     The MOU was signed by the Director of Intellectual Property, Mr David Wong, and the Director General of the IPOPHL, Mr Rowel Barba, on the sidelines of the Business of Intellectual Property Asia (BIP Asia) Forum held in Hong Kong. It aims to establish a framework to facilitate co-operation between Hong Kong and the Philippines in the areas of IP awareness, creation, protection, utilisation, management, trading and commercialisation.

     Under the MOU, Hong Kong and the Philippines will pursue further co-operation in various areas of IP by exchanging information and sharing experience; fostering high-level dialogues on policy developments; strengthening co-operation in IP training; sharing best practices in providing quality and efficient services to stakeholders; and promoting co-operation among the two places and the relevant IP practitioners, industries, institutions and organisations.

     “The National 14th Five-Year Plan supports Hong Kong’s development into a regional IP trading centre. Both Hong Kong and the Philippines recognise the value of IP rights in driving economic growth. The MOU marks an important milestone in the co-operation between the IP offices of the two economies in promoting IP protection and commercialisation in the region. The IPD will continue its engagement with IP offices and authorities outside Hong Kong to tell the good stories of IP in Hong Kong,” Mr Wong said.

     The Consul-General of the Philippines in Hong Kong, Mr Raly Tejada, also attended the signing ceremony today.

     The BIP Asia Forum is an annual IP flagship event in the region organised by the Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. Its 13th edition, held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai on December 7 and 8 under the theme “IP and Innovation: Steering New Economic Growth”, features over 90 renowned speakers. They include senior officials from the China National Intellectual Property Administration, the World Intellectual Property Organization, and IP offices of member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

AirAsia Philippines supports the strong return of Vis-Min cultural festivities

*Fly to any local destination and celebrate various festivals for only PHP99 one-way base fare with Mega Holideals!

Manila – WEBWIRE

AirAsia Philippines is set to provide its guests with a once-in-a-lifetime festive experience as it continues to offer low-cost travel to support the return of Philippine festivities years after the pandemic halted most of the countrys annual celebrations.

With the long list of incoming renowned festivals such as the Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival in Tacloban City, Halaran and Sinadya Festivals in Roxas City, Masskara Festival in Bacolod City, and Hermosa Festival in Zamboanga City, AirAsia Philippines aims to make the countrys festivities accessible to all, ensuring that vibrant cultural events and heritage of different cities are highlighted and enjoyed by both locals and tourists.

Festivities are deeply rooted in the Philippine culture and are often associated with family reunions. AirAsia Philippines is strongly backing the strong return of festivities to foster inclusive economic growth in various destinations where we fly. We also view this as a good exercise as we gear up to expand our operations next year, AirAsia Country Head for Communications & Public Affairs First Officer Steve Dailisan explained.

To entice more local and international festival-goers to fly and celebrate various festivities, AirAsia is offering a PHP99 one-way base fare! Available for booking from 4 September to 1 October 2023, and travel from September 4, 2023, to March 31, 2024, guests can grab a chance to fly to different local destinations in time for the celebration of festivals with the AirAsia Mega Holideals.

By providing affordable airfare options, the worlds best low-cost airline is one with the Department of Tourism in achieving its goal of revitalizing the tourism industry with an anticipated 100% recovery of domestic tourism with a target of 4.8 million tourists this year.

The Worlds Best Low-Cost Airline has also expressed strong support for fostering a stronger connection between the Philippines and the Land of Smiles – Thailand.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri earlier sought the commitment of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to facilitate flights between Thailand and other tourist destinations in the Visayas and Mindanao.

As one of the leading Philippine carriers backed by a strong regional network, AirAsia Philippines remains dedicated to empowering inclusive and accessible growth across the tourism and travel sectors. Should this proposal of Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri be realized, we expect the move to enable more inclusive growth across our regional destinations, and we aim to do it with the best value, Dailisan said.

To ensure seamless travel, AirAsia Philippines advises its guests to check airasia Superapp for booking options and all travel advisories and guidelines. Guests flying to various domestic destinations are advised to be at the NAIA Terminal 2 at least three hours before departure. Meanwhile, guests traveling on international flights will continue to arrive and depart at the NAIA Terminal 3.

AVIA and CAP Strongly Support the Passage of Legislation to Amend the IP Code of The Philippines to Allow for Pirate Sites to be Blocked in The Philippines

The Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) and the Coalition Against Piracy (CAP) warmly congratulate Albay Representative Joey S. Salceda for the passage of his legislation (House Bill 7600) through the House of Representatives to amend the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines to allow for pirate sites to be blocked in the Philippines. To become law in the Philippines a bill needs to be passed by both the House and the Senate and the successful passage of HB7600 through the House is a major step towards the enactment of site blocking legislation in the Philippines.

AVIA and CAP believe Congressman Salceda’s Bill will go a long way to addressing the rampant online piracy in the Philippines that is damaging the growth of the Philippines economy as well as providing real harm to consumers. AVIA and CAP have been working with the Philippines Government and the Philippines content industry for some time to champion the passage of site blocking legislation to address this concern, including a number of meetings and workshops such as an anti-piracy seminar hosted by AVIA, CAP and the Globe Group in Manila in September 2022 where Congressman Salceda was the keynote speaker.

2023 figures from a study conducted by YouGov and commissioned by AVIA and CAP showed that almost 60% of Philippine consumers watch pirated content – an alarming number that has a direct impact on the Philippine creative industry and consumer safety.

However, the study also showed growing consumer awareness of the damage caused by piracy, with 90% of consumers believing that piracy has negative consequences for the Philippines. The study also showed a path ahead with 45% of Philippine consumers believing a government or court order for ISPs to block pirate websites would be the most effective measure to reduce piracy in the Philippines. Congressman Salceda’s Bill has been strongly supported by local industry with numerous representatives, including GMA Network, Inc., the Globe Group and KROMA Entertainment attending the Second Reading of the HB7600 in person.

Matt Cheetham, General Manager of CAP, noted, “The evidence continues to show that site blocking, when implemented in an efficient and effective way, and ensuring the necessary elements of due process, is an incredibly powerful tool to both stop online piracy and protect consumers from the unseen harm caused by piracy, and we applaud Congressman Salceda for his determination to address the issue.” Cheetham also noted that earlier this month, Senator Estrada introduced matching legislation in the Senate (Senate Bill 2150) for Congressman Salceda’s Bill. “With the successful passage of Congressman Salceda’s Bill in the House, we look forward to the successful passage of matching legislation in the Senate that will allow the Philippines to grow its economy and protect its consumers from online harm,” he added.

“The Globe Group congratulates Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda for steering House Bill No. 7600 towards its triumphant passage at the House. This is a landmark achievement for the creative industry, with the bill a step closer to becoming a law. We are inching closer towards ensuring more stringent protection for our content creators and their livelihood,” said Globe Group Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer Yoly Crisanto.

“Piracy not only jeopardizes the livelihood of content creators and other works in the creative industry but also worsens consumer exposure to malware risks. Revisions to the IP code are essential for bolstering a digital landscape that is secure and equitable,” she said.

“GMA Network fully supports this extremely important legislation which would benefit and protect not just the creative industry but the viewing public as well. Website blocking for copyright infringement has been proven as an effective tool to fight digital piracy and support legal content creators and services, whether it’s TV, film, books, video games, or music. It is about time that the Philippines enact a site blocking law that would help curtail the losses of an already struggling industry,” said GMA Network, Inc.’s Asst Vice President for Litigation and Special Projects, Legal Affairs Atty Jose Vener Ibarra.

About the Asia Video Industry Association

The Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) is the trade association for the video industry and ecosystem in Asia Pacific. It serves to make the video industry stronger and healthier through promoting the common interests of its members. AVIA is the interlocutor for the industry with governments across the region, leads the fight against video piracy through its Coalition Against Piracy (CAP) and provides insight into the video industry through reports and conferences aimed to support a vibrant video industry.

For media enquiries and additional background please contact:
Charmaine Kwan
Head of Marketing and Communications
Email: charmaine@avia.org
Website: www.avia.org


Topic: Press release summary

Tech Leaders from The Philippines to Draw Insights From Use-Cases and Informative Keynotes at Trescon’s World AI & RPA Show

With the competition among enterprises being at an all-time high, even under the current circumstances, the potential of AI and RPA is not fully realized, which makes the Philippines one of the best places to sprint to the front of the competition.
The 28th edition of World AI & RPA Show – Manila is set to take place virtually on 16 September 2021 to understand the possibilities of tomorrow and usher in a new age of economic growth driven by AI-based emerging technologies.

Notable speakers include the likes of Lito Villanueva, Executive VP and Chief Innovation & Inclusion Officer, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation; Peter Leong, AI Specialist, Singapore Polytechnic; Yu Ka Chan, Senior Regional Manager, Cloud Engineering, Oracle ASEAN & more.
The event will feature keynotes presentations, product showcases, panel discussions, tech talks and fireside chats to find solutions to problems and trends in the AI space.

The event will focus on eye-opening topics such as:
– Preparing for the next evolution of AI as a driver for business success
– Building the business strategy for AI across the enterprise
– Aligning organizational structure to deploy at scale
– RPA and AI implementation: Challenges and Opportunities
– Leveraging Intelligent Automation to tackle issues of compliance and big data
– Improving CX with AI and RPA, and much more.

The show will feature a groundbreaking collaboration of experts such as:
– Simon Johnson, Asia Head of Claims Advisory and Operations, Marsh Asia
– Peter Lee, Head of Customer Loyalty, Payment and Big Data, PLUS Malaysia
– Kathleen Mackay, Chief Digital Officer, Revenue NSW – Department of Customer Service
– Andy Chun, AI Pioneer, Regional Director – Technology Innovation, Prudential Corporation Asia
– Lcol Francel Margareth Taborlupa, IS Officer, National Task Force Against Covid 19
– Reynaldo (Rey) Lugtu, Founder & CEO, Hungry Workhorse
– Edmund Situmorang, CTO, Sinarmas Group; to name a few.

“Optimization of digital technologies further promotes stakeholders’ collective pursuit towards creating sustainable and inclusive prosperity. At the end of the day, no one should be left behind,” states Lito Villanueva, Executive VP and Chief Innovation & Inclusion Officer, RCBC

“AI amplifies the human potential and transforms every industry,” states Peter Leong, AI specialist, Singapore Polytechnic

“The event also includes AI and RPA-specialized technology providers to help companies identify major areas of interest and solutions to them. The event will also include AI and RPA technology providers who will help organizations to identify significant areas of concern and adequate solutions to these issues,” says Mithun Shetty, CEO of Trescon

The show will be hosted on the virtual events platform Vmeets to help participants network and conduct business in an interactive and immersive virtual environment. Participants will also be able to engage with speakers in Q&A sessions and network with solution providers in virtual exhibition booths, private consultation rooms and private networking rooms.

World AI & RPA Show is officially sponsored by Gold Sponsors – Oracle and Denodo; Bronze Sponsor – BCS Technology.

To get your complimentary passes, visit: World AI & RPA Show – Manila

About World AI & RPA Show

World AI Show is a thought-leadership-driven, business-focused, global series of events that takes place in strategic locations across the world. It connects top AI experts, enterprises, government representatives, data scientists, technology leaders, startups, investors, researchers, academicians, and global AI innovators – to discuss the impact of AI on commercial applications and the revolutionary ways it can transform businesses and government functions.

About Trescon

Trescon is a global business events and consulting firm that provide a wide range of business services to a diversified client base that includes corporations, governments and individuals. Trescon is specialized in producing highly focused B2B events that connect businesses with opportunities through conferences, roadshows, expos, demand generation, investor connect and consulting services.

For further details about the announcement, please contact:
Media, PR & Corporate Communications
+91 81059 75937
media@tresconglobal.com


Topic: Press release summary

AirAsia Philippines strengthens chartered repatriation flights

AirAsia Philippines has strengthened its chartered repatriation flights to service more Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) who are stranded abroad and are eager to be reunited with their families. The timely shift to expand chartered operations comes as restrictions on commercial flights are observed for the duration of the stricter quarantine measures in NCR Plus and other leisure destinations.

For the first time, AirAsia flew to the Indonesian province of Riau to ferry 39 seafarers from Hang Nadim Airport, Batam, Indonesia on Tuesday, 10 August 2021 who safely returned to Manila at around 10:00pm via the return flight Z2 8283. 

Batam-Manila repatriation flights will be mounted on a per request basis from partner manning agencies.

Meanwhile, around 100 Filipino seafarers from Matalla, Sri Lanka arrived via Z2 8160 last week, on 5 August 2021.

While commercial flights are limited due to international border restrictions, AirAsia will continue to fly from  Sri Lanka to Manila every Thursday, as chartered operations.

AirAsia in partnership with shipping and manning agencies have also recently mounted chartered flights to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia every Saturday to service our OFWs, who are also mostly seafarers.

Aside from flying home our modern day heroes, AirAsia is also assisting other nationals through weekly flights to Canton (Guangzhou), China for Chinese residents.

AirAsia Philippines Spokesperson Steve Dailisan said, “AirAsia Philippines has always been a staunch partner of the government and the private sector in ensuring the safe return of our OFWs. We are happy to be there for our seafarers who need to change ships and schedules and be home with their families in these very challenging times.

“These chartered repatriation flights go both ways, allowing us to realize other revenue streams such as cargo, while being of service to our Kababayans,” he added.

Veteran seafarers Joel Linobo Jr. and John Vincent Ignacio who were among the passengers of the Batam flight (Z2 8283) thanked AirAsia for the safe journey back home.  

Ignacio who lost his father due to COVID-19 last May was grateful that after two months of waiting, he will finally be reunited with his family again. Most of the seafarers who were supposed to go back to the Philippines earlier had a difficult time getting a confirmed schedule, as some of the ports they’ve been to, such as Pakistan were included in the Philippine government’s recent travel ban.

Since last year, AirAsia has mounted 600 chartered repatriation and sweeper flights from Palau, India, Indonesia and Myanmar, bringing home almost 50,000 OFWs. 

AirAsia is also providing special OWWA flights for OFWs who will be returning to their provinces after completion of their 14-day quarantine at a local health facility.