CALAMBA CITY, Laguna (PIA) — The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) has established its 15th IP Satellite Office (IPSO), this Tuesday, July 5, 2022, located at the Department of Trade and Industry Region 4A Regional Office, Calamba City, Laguna, in a bid to increase intellectual property activities in the region.
The ceremony was led by IPOPHL Director General Rowel Barba, IPOPHL Deputy Director General Nelson Laluces, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) IV-A Regional Director Toni June Tamayo, and Department of Science and Technology (DOST) IV-A Regional Director Emelita Bagsit.
IPSO CALABARZON satellite office is tasked to promote awareness on the importance and benefits of the intellectual property (IP) system to its stakeholders, and to increase the utilization of the IP system in the region thru registration of local trademarks.
The office will also provide IP rights expertise and develop projects and skills enhancements to local state universities and colleges, research and development institutions, and local inventor groups; providing technology matching projects and opportunities for local users and patent providers; and giving IP skills enhancement for DTI and its 110 Negosyo Centers in the filing of local trademarks and patent applications.
“IPSOs are at the forefront of bringing our primary services within the reach of regions in the country. The objective of our newly opened IPSO CALABARZON is to raise the use and awareness of the IP system among innovators, creators, and businesses,” Barba said.
According to IPOPHL, intellectual property filings in the region increased in the past five years, especially throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
From 56 filings in 2017, it reached 126 in 2019 and has kept above 100 despite the community quarantine lockdowns.
Barba however noted that there is still more work to be done as many business owners in the region are still not aware of the importance of IP rights and its benefits to business competitiveness.
According to the data provided by the office, there are 183,876 DTI business name registrations in the CALABARZON Region as of 2020. However, only a small fraction of the DTI-registered business owners applied for trademark registrations.
The director-general further explained that it is important for the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to file their trademark to the office so businesses can stay competitive and secure even through adversities such as piracy.
“The environment of Region 4A is prone to trade of pirated and/or production of counterfeit goods. As such, IP stakeholders must be fully aware of different aspects of IP rights, especially the adverse effect of these goods on the economy and health. Although there are no major cases of importation and smuggling, these counterfeit and pirated goods are commercialized prevalently in small quantities in the region.”
IPOPHL sees great potential for CALABARZON, seeing it as a prime spot for potential users of the IP systems, and a potential hotbed for developing IP innovations thru its diverse research and development sources, five state universities and colleges, and five Innovation and Technology Support Offices.
“By supporting home-grown innovation in the region, we can further empower CALABARZON in developing and growing their economy. This, in turn, will not only help CALABARZON contribute to the nation’s GDP growth but also enhance national innovation and strengthen our nation’s IP system,” Barba claimed. — Christopher Hedreyda, PIA4A
