PH, WIPO Sign MOU to Enhance Intellectual Property and Technology Support

Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) Director General Josephine R. Santiago (left) and World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Director General Francis Gurry (right) sign a Memorandum of Understanding on enhancing intellectual property and technology support, witnessed by Deputy Permanent Representative Maria Teresa T. Almojuela (center). (Geneva PM photo)

GENEVA 24 October 2019 — The Philippines and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 07 October 2019 aimed at helping enhance the use of intellectual property in the Philippines to support its national development agenda. The signing ceremony was held at the margins of the WIPO General Assemblies in Geneva from 30 November to 09 October 2019.

The MOU Towards Creating an Enabling Innovation Environment to Increase the Capacity for Intellectual Property and Technology Support, which was signed by Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) Director-General Josephine Santiago and WIPO Director-General Francis Gurry, aims to support universities and research institutions strengthen their competencies on intellectual property, and university-industry collaboration, establish a network of technology professionals, and develop related support structures, among other objectives.

Deputy Permanent Representative and Chargé d’Affaires Maria Teresa Almojuela, who witnessed the signing ceremony, expressed appreciation to WIPO, which had been a longstanding partner of the Philippines in pursuing its development plans, including through the development of a National Intellectual Property Strategy for which WIPO itself provided technical support.

Meanwhile, the Philippines continued its active participation in the WIPO General Assemblies, successfully hosting an exhibit on pineapple silk fibers with weaving and embroidery workshops, conducting a panel discussion about the protection offered by the Philippine Government on traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions, and successfully gaining a seat in the WIPO Coordination Committee, which would nominate the next Director-General in 2020. END

WIPO Director-General Francis Gurry (left), IPOPHL Director-General Josephine Santiago (center), and Deputy Permanent Representative Maria Teresa Almojuela (right) discuss PH-WIPO relations after the signing ceremony. (Geneva PM photo)

For more information, visit https://www.genevapm.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHinGenevaUN/.