The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) signed a memorandum of understanding on Jan. 26, 2026 to accelerate digital infrastructure innovations through a responsive intellectual property system.
The agreement cites the importance of protecting intellectual property (IP) to support technologies that improve connectivity and narrow the digital divide.
Both agencies will work to enhance the technical skills of examiners and personnel when assessing innovations in artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, the Internet of Things, big data and other emerging fields.
The collaboration aims to improve the knowledge of innovations while maintaining efficiency and quality in patent-related services.
IPOPHL acting director-general Nathaniel Arevalo said the partnership provides innovators with the certainty needed to move digital solutions from concept to deployment.
“This collaboration will augment our knowledge of innovations and maintain IPOPHL’s record of efficiency, timeliness and quality in providing patent-related services, equipping innovators with the certainty needed to bring digital solutions from concept to deployment,” he said.
Arevalo said the move reinforces the role of IPOPHL as an International Searching Authority and International Preliminary Examining Authority. This allows the agency to provide early insights into the strength of inventions before they are filed for patents abroad.
The agreement aligns with national roadmaps for AI strategy to promote responsible innovation and operational efficiency as technology adoption grows.
“Through this collaboration, we aim to strengthen the Philippines’ innovation ecosystem by ensuring that our intellectual property personnel are equipped with the latest ICT knowledge and skills,” said DICT Secretary Henry Rhoel Aguda.
The partnership arrives as advanced technologies expand across Southeast Asia. The United Nations Development Programme projects that the region could generate nearly $1 trillion in additional gross domestic product from the transition to AI over the next 10 years.
As a member of the National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights, the DICT works alongside the Department of Trade and Industry and IPOPHL to shape national policy and enforce protection. The committee is responsible for strengthening the legal framework for inventors and digital creators throughout the country.
