LET US WORK ON MORE GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION LABELS

LET US WORK ON MORE GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION LABELS

Recently came news worth celebrating: the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) has approved the registration of Albuquerque Asin Tibuok—the rare, orb-shaped artisanal salt from Albuquerque, Bohol—as a Geographical Indication (GI). This is only the second Filipino product to receive that distinction, after Guimaras Mangoes.

This is a small win—but an important one. It signals that we are finally starting to take seriously the idea that heritage, place, and craft matter in the marketplace and in the narrative of nationhood.

Why this matters

A Geographical Indication is more than a label. It is a legal recognition that a product’s quality, reputation, or characteristics are essentially tied to its place of origin (natural conditions, human processes, tradition). IPOPHL defines GIs to protect against misuse, ensure consumer confidence, and boost local competitiveness. 

In the case of Asin Tibuok, the traditional salt-making process involves filtering seawater through charred coconut husks, boiling brine in clay pots over fire for weeks to months, and forming dense “eggs” of unrefined salt. Because it is laborious, seasonal, and on the brink of extinction, GI status, and the protections and branding that come with it, can be a lifeline. 

Already, IPOPHL is supporting mapping and GI application efforts for Bohol’s Ube Kinampay alongside Asin Tibuok under its Origin-Based Branding Program. But Asin Tibuok may prove more immediately visible, since it is now in the register of official GIs: it is listed on IPOPHL’s “Registered Geographical Indications,” with application number G/4/2023/00005 and registration date July 25, 2025. 

The long road ahead (and where to focus)

One small GI registration is only the start. There are many other Filipino products—foods, crafts, textiles, even spirits—that deserve GI protection, such as binagol, tapuy, basi, bahalina, lambanog, copra, Itneg cloth and more. These are by no means trivial ideas. In fact, IPOPHL itself has flagged 31 heritage products across region, province, and industry for possible intellectual property protection. Among these are Aklan piña cloth, Antique Bagtason loom, Samar Basey banig, Cebu dried mangoes, Batangas Barako coffee, Yakan cloth, and Camiguin lanzones. Still, turning potential into registered GI is no small feat. Here are challenges I foresee (and suggestions):

Challenge

Notes / suggestion

Funding and institutional support

GI registration involves documentation, standards mapping, legal processes, promotional costs. The IPOPHL should have a bigger budget—Congress must act. The recently announced P30.1 million AFD (Agence Française de Développement) project will help identify 10 high-potential GIs and register at least two. 

Institutional lead and coordination

I propose that IPOPHL take the lead by default, with LGUs, Regional Development Councils (RDCs), and DTI stepping in according to scope. That’s logical. For example, if a product is region-wide, RDCs may coordinate; if cross-region, DTI should mediate. We need clear roles, or duplication and turf battles will hamper progress.

Community buy-in and capacity

Many GI candidates are made by small farmers, artisans, and cooperatives. Some are in danger of dying out (e.g. Asin Tibuok salt-makers, ube kinampay farmers). Training, incentives, generational transfer of skills must be integral.


Global protection and market access

It is one thing to achieve national GI registration; another to ensure the GI is respected abroad. GI status helps guard against counterfeiters and misuse of the name in foreign markets—but we must pursue bilateral or multilateral treaties, or registration under protective regimes in target export markets.

We do have models: think Champagne in France, Cognac, Parmigiano-Reggiano in Europe, etc. The Philippines can adapt those lessons to our context.

My reflections, questions, and suggestions

  1. On momentum – Getting Asin Tibuok into the GI registry is a feather in IPOPHL’s cap—but momentum is fragile. We must ensure the next 10 or 20 GI registrations come quickly so that stakeholders see the system works.

  2. On product selection – Which products should we target first? My bets are on those that already enjoy some brand recognition and market niche: Barako coffee, lambanog, Yakan cloth, Camiguin lanzones. These strike a balance of heritage value + commercial viability.

  3. On draft legislation – The Senate already has SB 2387, which seeks to institutionalize support for GIs: protection, development, encouragement. I suggest we push for more enabling legislation—funding, coordination, export support.

  4. On advocacy at LGU level – Your idea that LGUs should actively engage is spot on. Parish, municipal, or provincial governments should map local heritage products, organize producers into associations, and sponsor feasibility studies for GI registration. They can co-finance the documentation, mobilize local funds, and provide counterpart resources.

  5. On a GI “fast track” pipeline – Maybe IPOPHL can institute a fast track for products with high potential or urgency (heritage at risk). Or pilot a “cluster GI” program (several related products in one region) to efficiently build capacity.

  6. On public awareness and market development – GI status must be backed by market education. Consumers must be taught: “this salt is different because of place and method.” Exporters and specialty shop networks must be engaged. Without demand, GI is just a legal plaque.

  7. On monitoring the sustainability of production – As GI products scale, ecological or social pressures may mount (overharvesting, loss of tradition, environmental impact). We should include sustainability safeguards in the GI specification.

Congratulations once again to IPOPHL, to the people of Albuquerque, and to the Asin Tibuok “asinderos” whose labor and tradition now gain legal shield and wider recognition.

But as we both know, registering one GI is like lighting a match in a dark room. The question is—will we fan the flame or let it flicker out?

Let us push: more GI registrations for our unique Filipino products; stronger institutional backing (IPOPHL, DTI, LGUs, RDCs); a culture of quality, provenance, and identity; legislation to secure financing and coordination; and market strategies to turn GI from legal instrument to living brand.

Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres

iseneres@yahoo.com, senseneres.blogspot.com

02-08-2026

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