The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) opened its intellectual property (IP) satellite office (IPSO) in MIMAROPA (Mindoro Oriental & Occidental, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan) last August in a bid to provide accessible IP services to the region.
At the ceremonial opening of IPOPHL’s 16th satellite office, Director General Rowel S. Barba said the establishment of the IPSO for MIMAROPA marks a significant milestone for IPOPHL’s ongoing mission to support innovation, creativity and economic development across the country.
“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,” Barba said.
In 2018, MIMAROPA also achieved an economic growth rate of 8.6%, making it the second fastest growing region for that year and marking the highest growth rate achieved by the region over the last decade.
Dubbed as the “treasure trove of Southern Luzon,” MIMAROPA is home to 7,426 businesses registered in the regional office and 9,026 DTI-assisted MSMEs as of 2022, with food manufacturing as the primary driving force of local industries.
Meanwhile, IPOPHL’s Juana Make a Mark program, which waives certain filings fees for women entrepreneurs and women-led MSMEs, has been well-utilized by the region’s brandowners, with a total of 312 trademark applications.
The region is also home to a number of products identified by the Bureau of Trademarks (BOT) as potential geographical indications — an IP protection that links a product’s features to its geographic origin, thereby amplifying its marketability. Among the potential GIs are the Uraro cookies from Marinduque; Ramit textile and calamansi from Oriental Mindoro; marble from Romblon; and cashew from Palawan.
IPOPHL also aims to fortify its reach to state universities and colleges and higher education institutions in the region, building on its current partnerships with the Palawan State University and the Western Philippines University under its Innovation and Technology Offices (ITSO) Program.
ITSO partners are an avenue for IPOPHL to empower innovators and creatives in the academe to leverage the IP system more efficiently and productively. In turn, ITSO partners support the acceleration of innovation in regions.
Now with IPOPHL’s services well within MIMAROPA’s reach, the region could also create more IP assets that could push its ranks in the Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) which evaluates the IP filing activities of cities and municipalities among other indicators.
OIC-Regional Director and Assistant Director of DTI MIMAROPA Rodolfo J. Mariposque expressed his support for the new IPSO, citing the potential for empowering local 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,” said Mariposque.IPSO MIMAROPA is located at the ground floor of the DTI Oriental Mindoro Provincial Office in Calapan City.