Atty. Josephine Santiago
In October 2015, Atty. Josephine Santiago assumed the role of Director General of IPOPHL.
LIGHTNING PACE TOWARD AN END-TO-END IP ONLINE SERVICE
Under Atty. Santiago’s term, IPOPHL dramatical ly accelerated and elevated IPOPHL’s modernization program through adopting and deploying electronic tools.
In 2016, IPOPHL launched the eTMfile, eUMFile and eIDFile for applications on trademarks, utility model and industrial design applications, respectively.
HELPING MSMEs’ BENEFIT FROM IP
Atty. Santiago aims to shepherd individuals or enterprises throughout their entire IP journey. Atty. Santiago developed the Mind to Market Program which aims to help potential entrepreneurs and small businesses succeed throughout the entire IP management cycle – from creation and protection to commercialization and enforcement.
During Atty. Santiago’s term, IPOPHL also launched the IP Depot, the Philippines’ first online marketplace for registered Philippine IP assets. Through this system, users can search and shop for available technologies for their businesses.
To help achieve gender equality in IP, Atty. Santiago launched the Juana Make a Mark program that waives trademark application fees to 1,000 women entrepreneurs or women-led MSMEs.
To this day, the program is extended annually to empower more women. To date, nearly 4,000 women have protected their marks through this program.
A GLOBAL SERVICE FOR GLOBAL INNOVATIONS
In 2017, IPOPHL’s effort in building its expertise and proficiency in patent search and examination was met with a game changing achievement. The Office gained from WIPO members a unanimous designation as International Searching Authority/International Preliminary Examination Authority (ISA/IPEA) in Asean. As the second ISA/IPEA in the region, IPOPHL hopes to become the ISA/IPEA of choice of applicants in the region.
In furthering Philippine innovations to the global stage, the Philippines was selected by the World Economic Forum (WEF) and WIPO to be one of the pilot countries for the implementation of the Inventors Assistance Program (IAP). Launched in March 2016, the IAP provides free legal consultation for under-resourced inventors eyeing to enter foreign markets.
LAUNCHING A NATIONAL IP STRATEGY
In collaboration with WIPO, IPOPHL worked to develop a National Intellectual Property Strategy (NIPS) to address the country’s IP needs and priorities in line with existing policies and economic goals.
The NIPS was launched in 2019 with the goal of having various local sectors and societies implement and benefit from the strategy.
Atty. Santiago’s term has elevated the IP system with lasting impacts on different levels of society, truly promoting innovation and creativity in the country.
