In the Philippines, where creativity and innovation flourish, a program is changing lives and reshaping destinies of inventors. 

“So, meron po tayong programa dyan, wine-waived po natin ‘yung sinisingil natin sa kanila, to incentivize more of our inventors to go global,” said Director-General Rowel S. Barba of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) during a press conference hosted by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in Quezon City. 

(Translation: So, we have a program for that and we have waived what we charge inventors, to incentivize more of them to go global)

The Patent Cooperation Treaty Filing Assistance Program, launched by IPOPHL, has emerged as a beacon of hope for inventors and applicants with limited financial means. 

Its mission? To unlock the doors to global success by assisting inventors and applicants in protecting their inventions on an international scale.

IPOPHL embarked on its journey to become an integral part of the global patent community when it achieved designation as the 23rd International Searching Authority and Preliminary Examining Authority (ISA/IPEA) by the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) Union Assembly on October 5, 2017. Commencing operations on May 20, 2019, this significant achievement marked a pivotal moment for the agency.

Among the core objectives of the Patent Cooperation Treaty Filing Assistance Program are as follows:

• Assisting Filipino Inventors and Applicants in navigating the complexities of the PCT system, facilitating their ability to protect their inventions internationally.
  
• Promoting IPOPHL as the Office of First Filing as it encourages foreign inventors to consider it as their Office of First Filing when seeking PCT protection. This promotion helps foster trust in IPOPHL's capabilities as an International Searching Authority.
  
• Promoting IPOPHL's Services as an International Authority in order to raise awareness about IPOPHL's role as an International Authority for PCT users, thus reinforcing its reputation on the global stage.

Eligibility Criteria

The following individuals and institutions are eligible for participation in the PCT Filing Assistance Program:

Filipino inventors and applicants who wish to protect their inventions internationally through the PCT.
Members of the Innovation and Technology Support Offices (ITSO) network that are dedicated to fostering innovation and technological advancements.
Foreign inventors or applicants from countries listed in the WIPO List of Eligible Nationals or Residents for a 90 percent reduction in certain PCT fees. These applicants must designate IPOPHL as their International Searching and Preliminary Examining Authority (ISA/IPEA) and select IPOPHL as their Office of First Filing during January to December 2022.

Fee Waivers and Assistance

Under this program, IPOPHL will provide the following fee waivers and assistance:

• Waiver of IPOPHL Search Fee: Small entities and big entities will have their IPOPHL Search Fee waived, with a fee of US$300 for small entities and US$600 for big entities.
  
• Waiver of IPOPHL Preliminary Examination Fee: Small entities and big entities will have their IPOPHL Preliminary Examination Fee waived, with a fee of US$150 for small entities and US$300 for big entities.
  
• Information and Technical Consultation: IPOPHL will provide valuable information and technical consultation regarding the PCT system and its processes to program participants.

How to Avail of the Program

Inventors and applicants interested in benefiting from the PCT Filing Assistance Program should submit a duly accomplished form, as provided in Annex "A" of IPOPHL’s Memorandum Circular No. 2023-005, (accessible through this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YLJE2doShIEJXtxXQjUH_PfHAH9wl5QJ/view), to the Bureau of Patents. This form must be submitted alongside a request for the International Search Report (ISR).

Effective Until December 31, 2023

In a move to bolster the Philippines' innovative capabilities and support local inventors and institutions in securing international patent protection, the IPOPHL has extended its program, effective until December 31, 2023.

“We have also extended, sa tulong po natin sa mga inventors, in-extend po natin ‘yung patent cooperation treaty filing assistance program. Ito po ‘yung cost efficient na pag-file internationally, pwede po, under the system, pwede mo nang mag-file sa Pilipinas, i-designate lang po nila kung anong countries ‘yung gusto pa nila ma-register ‘yung kanilang patent,” DG Barba added. 

(Translation: We have also extended, with our help to inventors, the patent cooperation treaty filing assistance program. This is the cost efficient way of filing internationally, it is possible, under the system, you can file in the Philippines, they just designate which countries they still want to register their patent.)

The extension of the Patent Cooperation Treaty Filing Assistance Program was signed by DG Barba on January 6, 2023. This initiative demonstrates IPOPHL's commitment to supporting Filipino inventors, promoting innovation, and facilitating international patent protection, further solidifying its position on the global stage. (PIA-NCR)