IAP Launches in the Philippines
March 1, 2016
Following the launch of Inventor Assistance Program (IAP) pilot projects in Colombia and Morocco in 2015, a third pilot project was rolled out in the Philippines on March 1, 2016 and is expected to be fully operational later this year.
The IAP aims to reinforce national innovation by providing legal assistance with patent filing to under-resourced local innovators. In recent years the economy of the Philippines has been one of the fastest growing in the region and the country’s intellectual property (IP) office has played an important role in promoting the use of IP rights, as well as encouraging and supporting innovation through various initiatives, including the development of an extensive network of Innovation and Technology Support Offices (ITSOs). The IAP complements these activities even further by supporting in particular inventors and small enterprises in achieving their innovative and commercial potential.
Full details regarding the eligibility criteria for applicants from the Philippines will be published on the Participating Countries page in the coming weeks.
Launch and seminar
The IAP launch took place within the framework of a seminar on Innovation and Patents attended by around 250 participants. The seminar reviewed innovation trends in the Philippines as reflected in WIPO’s Global Innovation Index 2015 ; the experiences of universities and R&D centers in using patents; and the role of Innovation and technology Support Offices (ITSOs) in promoting access to technological information and knowledge, as well as underlining the importance of using intellectual property rights to foster economic development.
The official launch was announced by Ms. Josephine Santiago, Director General of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines; and Mr. John Sandage, Deputy Director General, Patents and Technology Sector, on behalf of the WIPO Director General, Mr. Francis Gurry. The launch ceremony was also attended by:
- Mr. Marco M. Alemán, Acting Director of the Patent Law Division, WIPO;
- Mr. Andrew Czajkowski, Head of the Innovation and Technology Support Section, WIPO;
- Mr. Corey Salsberg, Head of International IP Policies at Novartis and Member of the IAP Steering Committee; and
- Mr. Alvaro Correa, Partner, Baker McKenzie, Colombia, and Member of the IAP Steering Committee.