“This growth is the product of our expansion of satellite offices last year, launching 3 in 2018. Our Bureau of Trademarks likewise implemented a trademark incentive program which we believe aided the increase. In broader terms, our continued information, awareness, and capacity-building programs (especially for R&D institutions and universities) for IP holders stoked this demand,” said IPOPHL.

Demand in intellectual property is indicative of both a rise in innovative capacity (demand in protection of new technology and inventions) as well as increasing of business activity (demand in protection of trademarks in business). Trademarks, for example, jumped from 8,405 to 9,312, an increase of 11%.

This does not necessarily reflect growth of new businesses, but signals expansion of business as trademarks are often acquired when enterprises reach a certain size in capitalization. Utility models or ‘minor innovations’ are on the upswing as well, with filings surging from 332 to 674 in Q1 2019.

Since majority - 80-90% of all UM filings - are from local applicants, specifically universities & R&D institutions, this is indicative of the continued innovation of Philippine academic & research bodies.

This is facilitated by IPOPHL’s 85-strong network of Innovation and Technology Support Offices (ITSOs), which are universities & R&D’s in-house patent libraries that were established by IPOPHL, with the host institution.