Phl seeks status as int’l authority on patent

The Philippines is seeking to elevate its status as only the second country in Southeast Asia and 23rd globally to become an international authority on patent.

The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) said it received a unanimous international endorsement to be designated an International Searching Authority (ISA) and International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA) under the Patent Cooperation Treaty, an agreement administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

The Patent Cooperation Treaty is an international treaty that allows patent applicants to file a single application in one intellectual property office and seek protection in multiple countries.

IPOPHL said the Philippines is eyeing the designation as an ISA and IPEA under the treaty.

If appointed, the IPOPHL will become the 23rd ISA and IPEA designated country worldwide and only the second in the ASEAN region after Singapore.

IPOPHL’s application, after it was unanimously endorsed by the working group on Patent Cooperation Treaty, will be up for approval at the general assembly of the WIPO member states in October.

“With its endorsement by the Committee on Technical Cooperation, the IPOPHL is one step closer to realizing its goal of operating as an ISA and IPEA, which is envisioned to contribute to the increased usage of the patent system by Filipino nationals,” the agency said.

IPOPHL director general Josephine Santiago said the agency has satisfied the requirements for designation as ISA and IPEA, which include having 110 full-time patent examiners adequately trained in search and examination, full access to the minimum documentation such as publicly available and propriety databases, a quality management system, and stringent internal review mechanisms, among others.

Santiago said administrative, operational, and infrastructure reforms have been undertaken by the agency in preparation for its ISA and IPEA application.

“The Philippines is well placed to ensure a dynamic and accessible IP system in the region, and the IPOPHL will contribute to enhancing a robust environment for research, invention, and innovation and intellectual property protection. The Philippines, after all, is a strategic partner in building a strong IP culture in the region,” Santiago said.

According to the IPOPHL, the Philippines has already been identified by the WIPO as a “hub for intellectual property creation and commercialization.”

The country’s efforts in intellectual property rights (IPR) protection have also been bearing fruits as it has managed to stay out of United States Trade Representative (USTR)’s watch list for four consecutive years now.

Countries included in the watch list are enumerated in the USTR Special 301 Report, an annual report of that evaluates the level of protection and enforcement of US trading partners.

The country was first removed from the watch list in 2014 after having been on the list for more than 20 years.