IPOPHL scores Gold Trailblazer Award to cap its nine-year performance governance system journey

May 31, 2024 

The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) brought home the Gold Trailblazer Award conferred by the Institute for Solidarity in Asia (ISA) after the Office completed the last leg of the Performance Governance System (PGS) in institutionalizing good governance in the agency. 

During the public revalida held by ISA on May 30, Director General Rowel S. Barba presented IPOPHL’s achievements that align with its breakthrough goal of accelerating the Philippines’ transformation towards a knowledge and creative economy. Specifically, the breakthrough goal aims to position the Philippines in the Top 3 in ASEAN in terms of IP-related sub-indicators—Technology Output (Pillar 6) and Creative Output (Pillar 7) Pillars—of the Global Innovation Index (GII) by 2024.

During the revalida, Barba highlighted IPOPHL’s programs, projects and initiatives on IP administration, awareness, education, adjudication and enforcement have led to greater innovative and creative outputs. The outcomes have helped the country attain its highest scores in the targeted IP-related indicators of the GII and could contribute to pushing its current rank of 56th in the GII to 43rd by 2028, as envisioned in the 2023-2028 Philippine Development Plan.   

“Overall, our nation has seen remarkable progress in the GII rankings since 2018. Within the Lower Middle-Income Group of countries, the Philippines has moved from 9th to 4th in 2023. In the broader context of Asia, we have improved from 21st to 16th and within ASEAN, our rank has risen from 6th to 5th in 2023. The Philippines has also been cited as an innovative performer for the fifth consecutive year. This progress underscores the effectiveness of our strategies and the significant impact of our initiatives on the national innovation ecosystem,” Barba said. 

Barba also said that with the strategic execution of its plans and the support of public and private partners, accomplishments were achieved far and wide and at a greater pace.

IPOPHL, through its Office of Strategic Management (OSM), worked with ISA in conducting the PGS program. The PGS Program provides a holistic and collaborative framework for designing and executing roadmaps for reforms. The program has four stages: (1) initiation, which focuses on strategy decision; (2) compliance, on strategy execution; (3) proficiency, on monitoring and evaluation; and (4) institutionalization, on achievement of breakthrough results.

“IPOPHL’s journey of traversing the final stage of the governance pathways speaks volumes about its dedication to becoming a better institution and its commitment to the entire nation,” said Evaristo S. Francisco, Jr., ISA Chief Executive Officer, during his opening speech.  

The ISA is a non-profit organization that works with national government agencies, local government units, hospitals, and schools to implement reforms that would promote good governance for better delivery of public service. 

IPOPHL presented their achievements before a panel chaired by Guillermo M. Luz, chief resilience officer of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation and ISA Trustee, and vice chair Ramon M. Lopez, former Trade and Industry Secretary. 

The panel was composed of former Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner General Rey Leonardo B. Guerrero, former Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Undersecretary Monchito B. Ibrahim, Philippine National Police – Center for Police Strategy Management (PNP-CPSM) Director Police Brigadier General Victor V. Arevalo and Intellectual Property Association of the Philippines (IPAP) President Attorney Rico V. Domingo.

In collaboration with the ISA, IPOPHL began its PGS governance journey in 2015. With the completion of all four PGS stages with flying colors, Barba expressed confidence that IPOPHL will be able to sustain the reforms it has implemented “as good governance is now embedded in IPOPHL’s culture and DNA.”

“With the PGS program providing us a framework in which the objectives of each and every individual in IPOPHL are firmly tied with the goals and vision of IPOPHL as a whole, we can be assured that everyone in IPOPHL will be facing towards the same bright future that we hope to achieve for our people,” Barba said. # # # (Joseph Frederic Nacino, Communications and Marketing Writer)