More intellectual property (IP) applications and approvals are reportedly expected with the recent launch of the National Intellectual Property Strategy (NIPS) 2020-2025.
About NIPS
Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato dela Peña explained that salient features of NIPS include:
- Awareness campaign
- Strengthening of Innovation and Technology Support Office(ITSO) in different research institutions
- Improvement in procedures
- International networking
- One government approach
One government approach means different agencies would complement one another towards one goal, communicating, and not duplicating or competing with one another.
The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) highlighted the strategies included in NIPS 2020-2025. These are:
- Support sectoral advancement through the use of the IP system
This strategy would:
- Enhance the legal and the developmental aspects of the health care and pharmaceutical industry
- Encourage productivity and technological systems of agricultural, animal husbandry, creativity, and innovativeness
- Increase the use of the IP system by MSMEs as a tool for productivity, creativity, and innovativeness.
- Institutionalize the different industries’ use of patent documents and capture the protection of Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR4.0) technologies in selected sectors
- Promote innovation and utilization/commercialization of IP assets
This strategy would:
- Improve the research and development (R&D) innovation performance
- Enhance the funding rationalization and operations related to government-funded agencies
- Attract smart and high technology investors to set-up business in the Philippines
- Elevate the creative and cultural industries
This strategy would:
- Develop and nurture the growth and development of creative and cultural industries
- Strengthen the protection of traditional knowledge, traditional cultural expressions, and genetic resources
- Enable access to information and knowledge on copyright and other related rights
- Enhance the legal system, institutions and structures related to intellectual property
This strategy would:
- Amend the current IP laws, regulations, and issuances on IP
- Strengthen the organizational structures to support the IP system
- Conduct inter-agency initiatives on IP and IP-related matters
- Enhance the enforcement of IP systems and procedures
- Capture international cooperation related to IP and increase roles on international IP systems
- Demystify, mainstream and professionalize intellectual property
This strategy would:
- Develop a culture of innovation and creativity, and respect for IP through the IP Academy
- Integrate the IP knowledge to the educational system
- Increase new knowledge on IP through academic, scientific, and advanced research and studies
Who are involved?
The Secretary chaired the committee created by the IPOPHL to help craft the NIPS.
IPOPHL Director General Josephine Santiago shared that the NIPS is their push to accelerate the development of inventions.
The NIPS focuses on empowering the creative industry as the current technological and business landscapes have created unprecedented levels of demand for copyright works and materials.
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez injected that his department also helped in crafting the NIPS, with a focus on small- and medium-scale enterprises.
This is because NIPS also aims to harness IP as a driver of economic growth.
The DOST Secretary assures inventors that they can come to his Department, particularly the Technology Application and Promotion Institute (DOST-TAPI) for assistance in filing applications to IPOPHL. This covers applications for patent, utility, model, or industrial design.
Cooperating for IP
The Philippines has been focused on improving its intellectual property systems. Recently, it signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to improve the local IP systems.
OpenGov Asia reported The Philippines and Laos cooperate for Intellectual Property. This will lead to the promotion and improvement of existing IP systems by establishing a mechanism where they can exchange information and best practices.