PHILEXPORT endorses IPOPHL Barba’s term extension

The country’s exporters are backing the extension of tenure of Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines director general (DG) Atty. Rowel Barba, which is about to end this month.

In a letter of endorsement sent to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (PHILEXPORT) president and CEO Sergio Ortiz Luis Jr., said they are extolling Barba for his exemplary leadership at the IPOPHL.

“Under DG Barba’s stewardship, IPOPHL has fostered a robust partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), empowering exporters to protect their IP rights in both local and foreign markets,” the endorsement letter, secured by the DAILY TRIBUNE, stated.

Ortiz-Luis Jr. said one remarkable outcome of the collaboration made by IPOPHL is the “Juan for the World” program which provides qualified exporters with financial incentives to secure IP protection abroad.

The said initiative is being supported by PHILEXPORT which recognizes the competitiveness of Filipino products on the global stage, according to Ortiz Luis Jr.

“DG Barba’s dedication and visionary leadership have had a profound impact on the exporting community, further aligning with your administration’s vision of economic growth and global competitiveness,” the endorsement said.

“We are confident that his reappointment as IPOPHL director general will ensure the continuation of these invaluable contributions, strengthening both IPOPHL’s mission and the Philippine export sector,” the reappointment endorsement further stated.

According to sources, there is a need for DTI Secretary Cristina Roque to endorse Barba’s reappointment to the Office of the President.

The DAILY TRIBUNE learned that Barba’s endorsement for term extension was already sent this year by resigned Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual to the Office of the President but was sent back due to Pascual’s sudden resignation.

The four-year term of Barba will end on 31 December 2024.

Notable strides that Barba made during his stint as IPOPHL director-general include the launching of voluntary site-blocking, which earned IPOPHL the “Site blocking in Asia Pacific — Government Leadership Award;” the launch of the E-Commerce memorandum of understanding and now cited as a model for bolstering cooperation and IP protection measures, and the record high IP filings in 2023.

The IPOPHL earlier reported that applications of trademarks, patents, utility models, and industrial designs from January to December 2023 totaled 49,832 from 48,600 in 2022, an increase of 2.5 percent.

Moreover, during Barba’s term, he was cited with the Gold Trailblazer Award for the Philippine Governance System; heightened IPOPHL’s influence in ASEAN, as recognized by the World Intellectual Property Office, and the launched Philippine IP Strategy 2025-2030 that focuses on IP commercialization, leveraging technologies and positioning the Philippines as a global IP leader.

Also, Barba launched several programs toward inclusivity and sustainability, such as the Juana Patent and Juana Design Protection Incentive Program, the Young IP Incentive Program, the Juan for the World, and the GreenTech Program, increasing awareness of IP in the country’s regions; the full implementation of e-services at IPOPHL, placing the office 9th in the World Trademark Review rankings on IP Offices in 2021, and was also awarded personally by organizations, such as Asia’s Golden Icon Awards and University of the Philippines Alumni Association-Distinguished Alumni Award for Public Service.