Info campaign on small biz intellectual property protection pushed

Thursday, January 13, 2011

THE Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IP Philippines) will launch this year more information campaign to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to promote the importance of protecting intellectual assets in their businesses.

Ricardo Blancaflor, IP Philippines director general, said companies should bear in mind that if they would become successful but they did not protect their brands, they have everything to lose.

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"We expect more (trademarks and patent) filings from them. We have to increase awareness among our SMEs. There are several treaties we have to accede to not only because we have actually signed them, but also to give us better footing with those we do business with," Blancaflor said.

He is optimistic that his office will achieve this year an increase in IP filings across trademarks, inventions and patents.

"We have been increasing for the last 10 years. I would attribute that to our expansion in the provinces," he said.

IP Philippines has satellite offices in Cebu, Davao, Angeles City in Pampanga, Legazpi City, Baguio, Iloilo and General Santos.

It will establish more satellite offices in Cagayan de Oro and Tuguegarao in Cagayan to make its services accessible to more regions.

Blancaflor said they would automate many of their systems in order to provide the people faster and better services and also transparent system.

He said they are asking Congress to pass the law on copyrights that would enable the country properly promote copyrights and eventually protect Philippine ingenuity, including traditions, history and culture.

"Sometimes we forget that more than enforcement, there are other ways of protecting IP rights. We are also concentrating on amending our own internal rules on the judicial processes available to those who would like to seek remedy with us," he added.

Blancaflor said IP Philippines also continues to build on the framework of partnership with the government.

"But there are other activities, which our people are doing other than just accepting filings. In Cebu, we are active in engaging the universities. We feel that research and development are future based on universities," he said. (PR)