The Southeast Asia region has a combined population of 650 million people and an area of over 4.5 million square kilometers, making it effectively the third largest market in the world after China and India. Foreign direct investments (FDIs) have increased steadily over the years due to a growing middle-class population and a booming industrial and manufacturing landscape.

Like many countries around the world, the recent spread of the COVID-19 virus has taken a toll on economic activity in this region. The situation had worsened in 2021 due to the spread of the highly contagious delta variant.

In this article, we provide a brief update on how individual countries are coping and recovering from the latest wave of infection in this region.

Singapore

As of 2 September 2021, Singapore has a total of over 67,000 cases with 55 deaths.

The Singapore government recently outlined a four-stage road map to transit Singapore towards a future where the COVID-19 virus is endemic. This is made possible in part through a mass vaccination program in which, of the population of an age eligible for vaccination, nearly 90% had been fully vaccinated by the end of August (around 80% of the total population of Singapore).

Currently, the physical office of the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) remains closed but applications continue to be processed online. The online portal IP2SG and mobile app, IPOS Go, remain available to applicants. Appointments via telephone or video conferencing can be made through the IPOS website.

Malaysia

As of 2 September 2021, Malaysia has a total of over 1.7 million confirmed cases with over 17,000 deaths.

On 15 June 2021, a four-phase National Recovery Plan was announced, which seeks to allow for gradual easing of movement control measures in the individual states. Some of the key threshold indicators for the four phases include capacity of the public healthcare system and vaccination rate.

The Malaysian IP Office (MyIPO) has released new operating guidelines for its customer service counters under phase one of the country's National Recovery Plan. An appointment may be booked through an online form with slots available on two days per week. In the meantime, the online e-filing system is available.

Thailand

As of 2 September 2021, Thailand has a total of over 1.2 million confirmed cases with over 12,000 deaths. The number of daily cases peaked at 22,782 cases on 12 August 2021 before declining.

Thailand is making plans to live with COVID-19 by recognizing the endemic nature of the virus. It is also making plans to ease restrictions as well as reopen its borders. The focus is likely to be containment of infections such that the capacity of the public health system is not exceeded. Other key measures include vaccination of vulnerable groups and faster contact-tracing of the population. Currently about eight per cent of the Thai population are fully vaccinated.

Vietnam

As of 2 September 2021, Vietnam has a total of over 480,000 confirmed cases with over 12,000 deaths. The number of daily cases appears to be still trending upwards.

On 2 August 2021, the IP Office of Vietnam announced the extension of deadlines falling within the period from June 30, 2021 to August 31, 2021, (including all deadlines for claiming priority, responding to Office Actions, payment of annuities or appeal procedures) to 30 September 30, 2021. Applicants who are still affected by the pandemic may be able to rely on force majeure provisions under Article 9.4 and 9.5 of Circular 01/2007/TT-BKHCN.

Philippines

As of 2 September 2021, Philippines has a total of over 2.0 million confirmed cases with over 33,000 deaths. The number of cases in the Philippines appear to be still increasing.

On 20 August 2021, the government eased a lockdown that started on 6 August 2021 in the capital to allow more businesses to operate, with the hope of reducing the financial pain on poor families.

The Philippines IP Office (IPOPHL) has confirmed in a memorandum of 23 August 2021 that it will continue to maintain an operational capacity at its main office with a skeleton workforce arrangement. The online e-filing system remains available.

Indonesia

As of 2 September 2021, Indonesia has a total of over 4.1 million confirmed cases with 130,000 deaths.

On 24 August 2021, Indonesia started to ease COVID-19 restrictions in a number of regions across the country, including Jakarta. The relaxation was possible as the number of infections has dropped from its peak by 78 per cent since 15 July 2021. This has led to a significant decline in hospital bed occupancy rates.

The Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DGIP) had installed an e-filing system in 2019 that replaced manual filings. This online system has remained available during the pandemic.

Conclusion

We remain optimistic and are closely monitoring the situation in the region. We continue to provide high-quality service and tailored advice to our clients in this region and are able to assist with capturing any growth opportunities in the near future.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.