How the IP Code built a nation of dreamers

As the DAILY TRIBUNE celebrates its anniversary, I am reminded of another milestone that is close to my heart: the Intellectual Property (IP) Law, which was signed in June 1997. It was an honor to be at the helm of the IP Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) when we celebrated the 25 years of the IP Code, a law that empowers generations of Filipino innovators, artists, and entrepreneurs to dream, create, and protect what they build.

I remember vividly the flurry of preparations, the charged atmosphere, and the shared sense of purpose that coursed through our corridors in the months leading up to the celebration. We were determined to do justice to the law that protected and energized the country’s creative and inventive spirit. It was an opportune moment to walk down the memory lane of glistening milestones.

Our theme, “Creating a Silver Bright Future,” was both a tribute to our past and a declaration of intent — that the next 25 years must be as bold, inclusive, and forward-looking as the first. It also captured the prevailing mood at the time as we were reeling from a pandemic that tested our resilience like no other, compelling digital adaptation, forcing a rethink of institutional relevance, and making IP protection more urgent than ever.

In 2022, IPOPHL’s mandate came to life through a series of concrete, future-oriented reforms, as every bureau and division approached its mission with renewed energy and clarity.

The Bureau of Patents launched the Juana Patent and Juana Design Protection Incentive Program, a protection incentive program that waives certain patent filing fees for women-led enterprises, inventions and industrial designs to address gender inequity in the IP ecosystem.

The Bureau of Trademarks finally put in place a sui generis system to protect geographical indications, elevating the competitiveness of local communities, honoring cultural heritage, recognizing commercial potential, and capping nearly 20 years of research and multi-stakeholder consultations.

The Bureau of Copyright and Related Rights expanded community-level initiatives to help musicians, digital artists and independent creators understand the potential of their works amid an increasingly competitive online and globalized environment.

The Documentation, Information and Technology Transfer Bureau launched the Youth IP Incentive Package to empower the next generation of creators and inventors while ensuring a momentous celebration of the 25th anniversary that would be felt beyond the walls of IPOPHL.

Our Bureau of Legal Affairs was recognized by the Office for Alternative Dispute Resolution for its important contribution in promoting alternative dispute resolution, all while actively promoting its mediation services as cost-effective in resolving disputes.

Our Management Information Service helped complete the agency’s goal of an end-to-end online service for IP application and services, making it easier for MSMEs, creators, and innovators to protect and enforce their works.

Thanks to the Financial Management and Administrative Service, we took home the Silver Trailblazer Award conferred by the Institute for Solidarity in Asia (ISA), showing how IPOPHL’s governance reforms were effectively boosting innovation and creativity.

The IP Rights Enforcement Office issued the draft rules for voluntary site-blocking, a bold move aimed at preventing the creative economy from losing billions in the digital age by working closely with internet service providers and rights holders.

We strengthened international and bilateral relations through our Policy Research and International Affairs and bolstered IP education through our IP Academy.

Together, these initiatives reflected the spirit of transformation that defined our silver anniversary. It was a moment of reflection and recalibration, of looking back while looking forward.

In the spirit of “Creating a Silver Bright Future,” we asked ourselves in 2022, are we content with administering the law, or will we shape its evolution? I believe we chose the latter. And I am proud of how far we have come, thanks to the competent and dedicated people who have served at IPOPHL over the years.