A strong and accessible intellectual property (IP) system in the Philippines offers many inclusive economic and social development opportunities. The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) has recently boosted the country’s capacity to seize this potential by completing the governance pathway in a revalida with the Institute for Solidarity in Asia (ISA) on May 30, earning recognition as an Island of Good Governance.
IPOPHL bagged the Gold Trailblazer Award and was conferred the Institutionalized Status under ISA’s good governance framework, Performance Governance System (PGS). The public revalida is a democratic exercise that validates the public institutions’ completion of the four stages of the PGS. Enrolled institutions include the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Department of Health (DOH), among others.
IPOPHL Director General Rowel Barba presented the agency’s initiatives and accomplishments during its nearly decade-long transformation journey. By leveraging the PGS to drive innovation for greater impact, IPOPHL has emerged as a frontrunner in IP management and now aims to position the Philippines in the Top 3 in ASEAN for IP-related sub-indicators of the Knowledge and Creative Output Pillars of the GII by 2024.
In 2023, the Philippines improved its standing in the Global Innovation Index (GII), an annual ranking of countries based on innovation performance, climbing from 73rd to 56th globally, from 21st to 16th in Asia, and from 6th to 5th in ASEAN. IPOPHL plays a direct role in two of GII’s seven pillars: Knowledge and Technology Output (Pillar 6) and Creative Output (Pillar 7).
“Our current whole-of-society approach to improve the Philippines’ GII standing is inclusive and collaborative. This is essential to elevate our nation’s standing towards our overarching goal of securing the 43rd position by 2028, as outlined in the current Philippine Development Plan,” Atty. Barba said before ISA’s specially-convened panel of experts during the public revalida.
With the need for more Filipinos to appreciate the importance of IP, IPOPHL expanded its outreach efforts through Copyright and IP Caravans, with celebrities like Matteo Guidicelli and Ruru Madrid joining as
anti-piracy ambassadors. Additionally, IPOPHL has established 16 IP Satellite Offices and 22 IP Help Desks across the country to provide support for IP application, protection, and enforcement, leading to an increase in IP applications among micro, small, and medium enterprises from 22,818 in 2020 to 27,617 in 2023.
To get more Filipino products on the global stage and bring them into the international market, IPOPHL has also formalized the registration of geographical indications (GI) with the introduction of the GI Rules. GIs are markers used on products with a distinct geographical origin, known for specific qualities or reputation associated with that location, like Scotch whisky.
“Mapping potentially high-value GIs and assisting producers and other stakeholders in their registration will increase the value and marketability of GI products,” Atty. Barba said.
In 2023, IPOPHL achieved a milestone with the registration of the country’s first GI, the Guimaras Mango, and continues to assist in seeking IP protection, such as the Bikol Pili and Bohol’s Ube Kinampay.
IPOPHL’s progress was not left unnoticed by the panelists, including its Chair and ISA Trustee Mr. Guillermo Luz, who acknowledged IPOPHL’s proactive approach to tracking the GII to benchmark its efforts.
“I’m hoping that more Philippine government agencies do the same with the corresponding competitiveness index that applies to their area of work,” Mr. Luz said.
Upon being conferred the PGS Institutionalized Status and receiving the Gold Trailblazer Award, Atty. Barba expressed his gratitude to external stakeholders, panelists, and all IPOPHL employees, emphasizing that the achievements mark only the beginning of the agency’s journey.
“IPOPHL commits to continue down this path of good governance as an institution because we firmly believe that it will help us to deliver more efficient and effective public service while fulfilling our mandate of protecting the nation’s IP rights,” he said in his acceptance speech.
