THE country’s intellectual property (IP) regulator is seeking the urgent implementation of two laws to empower copyright owners.
Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (Ipophl) Director General Rowel Barba issued the appeal to carry out the Philippine Innovation Act and the Innovative Startup Act — stressing that a strategic focus on IP commercialization is crucial to driving economic progress and positioning the Philippines as a global hub for innovation.
“As a tool, IP can be utilized by businesses and industries to become more innovative and competitive in local and global markets. By extension, IP commercialization can serve as an important driver for economic progress,” Barba said at the Business of IP Asia Forum 2024 held on Dec. 6 in Hong Kong.
IP rights holders, he pointed out, must set their sights on commercialization to realize the full potential of their goods, services, artistic works and technologies. He cited ongoing efforts to support the growing digital and creative economy.
Republic Act 11293, or the Philippine Innovation Act, aims to promote innovation as a key part of the country’s economic growth and development. It seeks to remove obstacles to innovation and promote the growth of micro, small and medium enterprises.
The Innovative Startup Act, meanwhile, provides benefits to help startups, including financial subsidies, grants, venture capital and streamlined visa processes.
Barba noted the Ipophl’s role in supporting the country’s copyright-based industries. As an ex-officio member of the Philippine Creative Industries Development Council, the agency has been actively involved in promoting copyright ownership among Filipino creatives, particularly in the context of digital technologies such as artificial intelligence.
The country’s growing focus on IP commercialization is gaining international recognition, Barba said.
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Director David Wong acknowledged the Philippines’ potential in the digital creative economy. “Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam are good examples of countries riding this rapid development, but developing economies must also provide favorable conditions for royalty collections,” Wong said, citing the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s Creative Economy Outlook 2024 report.
As a testament to thriving IP commercialization in the Philippines, Ipophl reported the number of Invention Technology Support Offices filings in 2023 increased to 1,535, up from 1,040 record applications in 2022.
“This surge in filings shows the increased appetite for protection in universities and research institutions. Moreover, 2023 saw an annual increase in IP commercialization activities by 50 percent from 39 Innovation and Technology Support Offices nationwide,” Ipophl said.
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