During my five-year term as Director General of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), one constant presence that steadily strengthened our work was the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Beyond being a Geneva-based specialized agency of the United Nations, WIPO proved to be a genuine development partner, one that understood our local realities while pushing us toward global best practices.

At a time when intellectual property (IP) was becoming central to innovation, trade, and inclusive growth, WIPO’s technical assistance helped IPOPHL move from aspiration to execution. Capacity-building was at the heart of this partnership. Through regular training sessions, workshops, and fellowships, WIPO enhanced the technical competence of IPOPHL examiners, adjudicators, and policy staff. These programs did not merely transfer knowledge; they professionalized our institution and ensured that Philippine IP examination and enforcement standards were aligned with international norms.

WIPO also played a critical role in strengthening our IP infrastructure. 

Support for automation, digitalization, and business process improvement helped IPOPHL become more efficient, transparent, and accessible to the public. Initiatives such as online filing systems, improved search tools, and case management systems were developed with WIPO’s guidance and benchmarking. 

These reforms shortened processing times and improved service delivery — key outcomes for innovators and creators who depend on timely IP protection. WIPO’s Industrial Property Automation System (IPAS) was the reason IPOPHL was ready with its online system when Covid-19 struck in 2020.

Equally important was WIPO’s support for policy and strategy development. The formulation and implementation of the Philippine Intellectual Property Strategy (PIPS) benefited from WIPO’s expertise in aligning IP with national development goals. Through studies, consultations, and comparative analysis, WIPO helped us appreciate IP not just as a legal tool, but as an economic and social enabler, relevant to MSMEs, startups, universities, and creative communities.

WIPO’s collaboration extended beyond IPOPHL headquarters. Together, we advanced programs for technology transfer, innovation support, and commercialization through Technology and Innovation Support Centers (TISCs). These centers, supported by WIPO resources and training, brought IP knowledge closer to universities, researchers, and entrepreneurs across the country. They helped demystify IP and made it practical — something to be used, not feared.

Another notable area of partnership was dispute resolution and enforcement. WIPO’s best practices and training modules strengthened our Bureau of Legal Affairs and arbitration mechanisms, reinforcing confidence in IP enforcement while promoting alternative dispute resolution. This balance between protection and pragmatism was crucial in fostering respect for IP rights without stifling innovation.

Perhaps most valuable was WIPO’s role as a bridge. It connected the Philippines to global conversations on emerging issues such as artificial intelligence, traditional knowledge, and the creative economy. Through WIPO, IPOPHL was able to participate meaningfully in international dialogues and ensure that the Philippine perspective was heard.

Thanks to WIPO, led by Director General Daren Tang, formerly chief executive of IP Singapore and an active member of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC), deputy directors general, assistant directors general, and Filipinos in WIPO, including Atty. Andrew Ong, director of the Division of Asia and the Pacific and former deputy director general of IPOPHL, and Atty. Jess Honculada, senior counsellor, Brands and Designs Sector, and my classmate in UP Law.

In retrospect, the partnership between WIPO and IPOPHL during my tenure was not about projects alone — it was about institution-building. WIPO helped us strengthen systems, people, and mindsets. For that, Philippine innovators, creators, and future generations of IP professionals will continue to benefit long after any single term has ended.