The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen collaboration in supporting digital infrastructure innovations through a responsive and robust intellectual property (IP) system.
The MOU, signed on January 26, 2025, recognizes the role of the IP system in protecting and boosting technologies to build the country’s digital infrastructure, particularly in realizing the DICT’s goals in improving connectivity and bridging the digital divide to ensure every Filipino can thrive in the digital era.
Under the agreement, IPOPHL and the DICT will work closely to strengthen the technical capacity of examiners and other personnel to effectively assess and manage innovations in artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, Internet of Things, big data and other emerging ICT fields.
“This collaboration will augment our knowledge of new innovations and maintain IPOPHL’s record of efficiency, timeliness and quality in providing patent-related services, equipping innovators with the certainty needed to bring digital solutions from concept to deployment,” said IPOPHL Acting Director General (ADG) Nathaniel S. Arevalo.
“This is vital not only as a national office but also as an international Searching Authority and International Preliminary Examining Authority (ISA/IPEA) as we provide inventors early insight into how strong their invention is before they seek patent protection in multiple countries,” ADG Arevalo added.
The MOU will also support IPOPHL’s efforts to develop and implement its AI strategy in alignment with national roadmaps, promoting responsible innovation and greater operational efficiency as the Philippines moves towards wider AI adoption.
Beyond capacity building, the MOU also establishes a framework for broader collaboration on matters at the intersection of IP and ICT.
“Through this collaboration, we aim to strengthen the Philippines’ innovation ecosystem by ensuring that our intellectual property personnel are equipped with the latest ICT knowledge and skills,” said DICT Secretary Henry Rhoel R. Aguda. “By bridging digital technology and IP protection, we are creating an environment where Filipino ingenuity can truly thrive.”
This partnership comes at a time sophisticated innovations continue to expand globally, especially in the ASEAN. According to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Asia and the Pacific region is at the center of the AI transition, with economies in the ASEAN alone projected to generate nearly $1 trillion in additional gross domestic product over the next decade.
DICT is an active member of the National Committee on IP Rights (NCIPR). The NCIPR, led by the Department of Trade and Industry as chair and IPOPHL as vice-chair, is the primary interagency body mandated to formulate national IP policy and strengthen the protection and enforcement of IP rights in the country.
