Applications for intellectual property increased by 13 percent in the first quarter, reflecting the steadily growing innovation culture in the country.
Applications for patents, covering inventions, utility models, industrial designs and trademarks received by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines reached 11,327 in the first quarter, up from 10,031 a year ago.
“This growth is the product of our expansion of satellite offices last year, launching three in 2018. Our Bureau of Trademarks likewise implemented a trademark incentive program which we believe aided the increase. In broader terms, our continued information, awareness and capacity-building programs especially for R&D institutions and universities for IP holders stoked this demand,” said IPOPhl.
The demand for intellectual property is indicative of both a rise in innovative capacity, demand in protection of new technology and invention as well as increasing of business activity demand in protection of trademarks in business, the agency said.
Applications for trademarks climbed 11 percent from 8,405 to 9,312. This does not necessarily reflect the growth of new businesses, but signals expansion of business as trademarks are often acquired when enterprises reach a certain size in capitalization, it said.
