WIPO Director General Pays Courtesy Call on DFA Acting Secretary

DFA Acting Secretary Jose Luis G. Montales receives Dr. Francis Gurry, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), on 26 April 2018. (DFA photo)

MANILA 26 April 2018 — Dr. Francis Gurry, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), paid a courtesy call on Acting Secretary Jose Luis G. Montales on 26 April 2018.

Dr. Gurry thanked Acting Secretary Montales for receiving him and noted the enhanced partnership between the government and WIPO. The Acting Secretary welcomed back Dr. Gurry and thanked WIPO’s significant support for the Philippines during its chairmanship of the ASEAN Committee in Geneva in 2017. In addition, Acting Secretary Montales thanked Dr. Gurry for the strong and steadfast support and assistance of WIPO to the country in areas such as the implementation of the National Intellectual Property Strategy (NIPS) and the designation of IPOPHL as an International Searching Authority/International Preliminary Examining Authority, among others.

Both DG Gurry and IPOPHL DG Santiago conveyed appreciation to Ambassador Garcia for his active representation of the intellectual property interests of the country in Geneva.

Dr. Gurry’s visit is one of the initiatives of the IPOPHL in 2018 at raising intellectual property (IP) consciousness to the level of our decision-makers across the three branches of government, as well as private stakeholders who drive business and innovation. END

From left to right: IPOPHL Director General Atty. Josephine R. Santiago, WIPO Director General Dr. Francis Gurry, DFA Acting Secretary of Foreign Affairs Jose Luis G. Montales and Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Evan P. Garcia.