The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) formally awarded the geographical indication (GI) registration certificate for T'nalak Tau Sebu on 13 July during the opening activities of the 60th T'nalak Festival. Provincial officials and representatives of seven cooperatives under T'nalak Tau Sebu, Inc. received the certificate. The GI, registered on 4 March 2026, covers the handwoven abaca textile produced by T'boli communities in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato, using traditional backstrap looms and natural dyes. It builds on collective trademark protection secured in 2017 by tying the product's reputation more directly to its place of origin and production methods.
The award shows how IPOPHL is moving GI protection from policy design into practical use. For traditional crafts and agricultural goods, a GI can complement rather than replace trademark rights: the trademark identifies an authorised collective source, while the GI anchors protection in geography, specifications and shared producer control. The harder work begins after registration. Cooperatives will need consistent standards, traceability and licensing rules if the right is to curb imitation and prevent misuse of cultural elements in the market.
