PH heralds intellectual property gains, lays growth path at 58th WIPO General Assemblies

Local developments promising for further growth

Photo by: Permanent Mission of the Philippines to UNIO,  Geneva. 

The Philippines affirmed that its domestic intellectual property system remains robust and is on a growth trajectory, at the 58th Series of Meetings of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Assemblies.

The Philippines heralded its recent achievements in advancing its intellectual property system at the annual world gathering of intellectual property authorities now ongoing in  Geneva, and assured that steps for future growth are underway.

"The Philippines continues to sustain its efforts in advancing innovation and promoting intellectual property guided by the 7-point SMELT-IP agenda, and inspired by past gains," Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) Director General Josephine R. Santiago said.

Among the gains noted were the conclusion of the preparation of the Philippines'  National IP Strategy, which contains targeted strategies to boost the Philippine intellectual property system, from education to enforcement.   

Strengthened ties with the academe, through the spread of Innovation and Technology Support Offices (ITSOs), has led to a steady rise in generated IP : ITSO applications for inventions, utility models, industrial designs, and trademarks averaged double digit growth from 2014-2017.

These achievements stand as building blocks for growth, noted the IPOPHL Director General, as the office moves towards processing international patent applications next year, and spurring commercialization of intellectual property.

The IPOPHL was designated last year as an International Search Authority/International Preliminary Examining Authority (ISA/IPEA), only the second IP office in Southeast Asia to receive the designation.

The IPOPHL is currently intensifying capacity-building in preparation to start processing Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) applications for search and preliminary examination next year. As an ISA/IPEA, the IPOPHL can conduct international search, prepare international search reports and establish a written opinion for international patent applications.

Director General Santiago remarked that commercialization of IP assets is also seen to gain traction with the passage of Republic Act. No. 11057, the Personal Property Security Act. The legislation aims to give micro, small and medium enterprises better access to financing by  using personal property including intellectual property as security. The implementing rules and regulations for RA 11057 are currently being drafted.

On future action, the Philippines, through IPOPHL, sought to move forward on the WIPO draft treaty on the protection of broadcasting organizations, in a bid to secure the related rights of broadcasters in light of new broadcasting technologies. Emerging technologies that allow the public to access broadcast signals on-demand and online, and the attendant rise of signal piracy, is at the heart of discussion on the draft accord.

The 58th WIPO General Assemblies of the Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) is ongoing, with meetings taking place from September 24 to October 2, in Geneva, Switzerland.