The network of more than 100 universities, colleges, and research centers serving as innovation and technology support offices (ITSOs) generated over ₱24 million in income from intellectual property (IP) assets in 2025, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) said.

In a statement, IPOPHL said ITSOs posted a 19-percent increase in income last year to ₱24.3 million, up from the ₱20.4 million recorded in 2024.

IPOPHL Acting Director General Nathaniel S. Arevalo said the improvement in income generation reflects the growing popularity of IP commercialization among ITSOs across the country.

Commercialization pathways under ITSOs include licensing, spin-offs, and direct sales.

“[ITSOs] highlight how research and innovation not only contribute to knowledge and societal benefits, but also generate tangible economic value for the institutions and stakeholders involved,” said Arevalo.

Launched more than a decade ago, ITSOs were established by IPOPHL to enhance access to patent information for use in research, education, idea generation, and general business development at the local level.

ITSOs, acting as patent service providers, conduct not only patent searches but also patent drafting, prosecution representation, advisory services, training, and overall IP management.

IPOPHL said the program currently has 103 members nationwide.

Last year, IP registrations in ITSOs surged by nearly 44 percent to a record-high 3,242 filings, compared to 2,257 filings in the previous year.

ITSOs accounted for half of resident patent filings last year, covering 506 of the 999 total registrations.

ITSOs also contributed 47.7 percent, or 858 out of 1,800 utility model (UM) filings, and 28.8 percent, or 454 of 1,578 industrial design (ID) applications.

Beyond domestic gains, the ITSO program also takes part in the global effort to help innovators commercialize IP assets under the global network of technology and innovation support centers (TISCs) established by Geneva-based World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

Alex Riechel, head of WIPO’s TISC development section, said the growth of ITSO initiatives in the Philippines and the broader Southeast Asia reflects the region’s commitment to fostering IP innovation.

Riechel stressed the need to sustain this momentum to facilitate the entry of innovations into the market, creating more value from IP assets in the process.