The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) is one of the top-performing international patent authorities in terms of completion and transmittal of international search reports (ISRs) to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), according to WIPO’s Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) Yearly Review 2021.
Based on WIPO’s 2020 global data, the review said the Philippines, through IPOPHL, which operates as an international searching authority and international preliminary examining authority (ISA/IPEA) for the PCT, was able to complete and transmit 100% of ISRs requested at its Office (Fig.1), and achieve 100% compliance in the timeliness of transmittal within the prescribed deadline of nine months from priority date (Fig.2).
The IPOPHL shares the top spots with Ukraine and the Nordic Patent Institute on ISR completion, and Ukraine, Singapore and Chile on the timeliness of transmittal.
Fig. 1. Share of published PCT applications with or without an international search report by ISA, 2020.
Fig. 2. Timeliness in transmitting ISRs to the International Bureau, measured from priority date by ISA, 2020.
During the webinar celebrating the 20th year Anniversary of the Philippines’ accession to the PCT on August 17, 2021, WIPO Deputy Director General for Patents and Technology Lisa Jorgenson cited this remarkable achievement, saying “IPOPHL has ranked among the top five of international authorities with 100% timeliness rate of transmittal of reports to the WIPO.”
“Only in our second year as an ISA/IPEA, we take pride in our efficient international authority operations, and we continue to be inspired in providing timely and quality patent services at par with advanced economies to facilitate the entry of Filipino innovations to the global market. This achievement is a testament to the dedication and competence of our hardworking staff particularly in the Bureau of Patents,” IPOPHL Director General Rowel S. Barba stressed.
It may be recalled that the Philippines, with its technical competence and institutional efficiency in patent administration and after undergoing a rigorous process, started its international authority operations in 2019 after being designated as the 23rd ISA/IPEA by WIPO in 2017.
As an international authority, IPOPHL prepares ISRs and International Preliminary Examination Reports (IPER) that serve as bases for national IP Offices to search and examine applications filed under the PCT.
The PCT enables an inventor to seek patent protection from a number of or all 153 member countries by filing a single application.
