WIPO General Assemblies Appoint IPOPHIL as International Searching Authority and International Preliminary Examining Authority on Patents 

Ambassador Evan P. Garcia (left) is shown with IPOPHIL Director General Josephine Santiago and IPOPHIL Director for Patents Lolibeth Medrano at the WIPO Assemblies in Geneva on October 05.

12 October 2017 GENEVA – The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHIL) was designated and appointed by the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) as an International Searching Authority (ISA) and International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA) on October 05.

This designation was formalized at the 57th session of the WIPO General Assemblies after the IPOHIL application received international endorsement at the 10th meeting of the Working Group on Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) in Geneva from 08 to 12 May 2017.

IPOPHIL will begin operations as an International Authority following this appointment, which will remain in force until 31 December 2027.

Speaking at the Assemblies, Ambassador Evan P. Garcia, Philippine Permanent Representative to the UN and International Organizations in Geneva, including WIPO, pointed out that  the designation of the IPOPHIL “complements the government policy of mainstreaming science, technology and innovation platform across national and local development agenda and will further foster research and development in the country and perfectly fits into the Philippine Development Plant (PDP) 2017-2022 towards a high-trust society and a globally competitive knowledge economy.”

IPOPHIL’s designation will harness the strengths of the Philippines as an intellectual property (IP) hub in the region, with its strategic location in Asia, a young and educated population of 104 million whose capabilities and competence are recognized over the entire spectrum of professions, and the presence of 2,180 colleges and universities and multinational corporations which are conducting robust research and development activities.

In her closing remarks, IPOPHIL Director General Josephine R. Santiago underscored that the appointment of IPOPHIL as an International Authority promotes the national development plan which aims to transform the Philippines into a knowledge-driven and innovative society that will complement research and innovation activities in the country and in the Southeast Asian region.

Asia accounts for 43.5% of the total PCT applications in 2015 and the South East Asian Region has registered continuous growth in recent years, which likewise translates to higher demand for international PCT work. With about 70 years of search and examination experience, the Philippines is well-placed to assist the system in responding to this increasing demand. END

For more information, visit www.genevapm.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/genevapcg.