In an effort to make IP services available to the area, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) opened an intellectual property (IP) satellite office (IPSO) in MIMAROPA (Mindoro Oriental & Occidental, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan).
IPOPHL Director General Rowel S. Barba emphasized at the official opening of IPOPHL's 16th satellite office last Aug. 30 that the establishment of IPSO in MIMAROPA marked a key milestone for IPOPHL's continued mission to encourage innovation, creativity, and economic growth across the nation.
“While MIMAROPA is well-known for its abundant agricultural produce, bountiful forests and beautiful beaches, its MSMEs are also unlocking the region’s potential through the products they bring to the market,” he said.
MIMAROPA's economic growth rate in 2018 was 8.6 percent, making it the second-fastest growing in the country overall and the region with the highest growth rate during the previous ten years.
Now that MIMAROPA can easily access IPOPHL's services, the area may also produce more intellectual property assets, which might boost its standing in the Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI), which assesses, among other things, the IP filing activities of cities and municipalities.
As of 2022, MIMAROPA, known as the "treasure trove of Southern Luzon," was home to 9,026 DTI-assisted MSMEs and 7,426 firms registered with the regional office, with food processing serving as the main economic engine for the area.
The region's brand owners have made good use of IPOPHL's "Juana Make a Mark" initiative. A total of 312 trademark applications have been filed under this initiative, which waived filing fees for female entrepreneurs and female-led MSMEs.
Additionally, the region is home to a number of goods that the Bureau of Trademarks (BOT) has identified as prospective geographical indications, an IP protection that connects a product's attributes to its place of origin, enhancing its marketability. The Uraro cookies from Marinduque, the Ramit cloth and calamansi from Oriental Mindoro, the marble from Romblon, and the cashew from Palawan are a few examples of prospective GIs.
IPOPHL also wants to expand its reach to state universities, colleges, and higher education institutions in the area, building on its present collaborations with the Palawan State University and the Western Philippines University through its Innovation and Technology Offices (ITSO) Program.
ITSO partners give IPOPHL a channel to enable academic innovators and creatives to use the IP system more effectively and productively. In return, ITSO partners aid in the regionalization of innovation.
DTI MIMAROPA’s OIC-Regional Director and Assistant Director Rodolfo J. Mariposque extended his support for the new IPSO and cited the possibility of strengthening regional IP stakeholders.
“This satellite office is not just a physical space; it is a hub of possibilities, a beacon of support for the inventors and creators who drive progress and prosperity,” Mariposque said.
IPSO MIMAROPA is located at the ground floor of the DTI Oriental Mindoro Provincial Office in Calapan City. (Ma. Joselie C. Garcia)