(From left to right) Dr. Benito M. Pacheco, Vice Chancellor for Research and Development; UPD Chancellor Caesar A. Saloma, Atty. Ricardo R. Blancaflor, IPOPH director general; and Atty. Andrew Michael S. Ong, IPOPH deputy general in a commemorative photo session after signing the memorandum of agreement. Also present were Atty. Marcia Ruth Gabriela P. Fernandez, OVCRD Project Development Associate (PDA); Carmen G. Peralta, Documentation Information and Technology Transfer Bureau (DITTB) director; Atty. Lizette Pulumbarit, UP System Technology Transfer and Business Development Office PDA; Atty. Corazon Marcial, Bureau of Trademarks assistant director; and Amelou Lim of DITTB.
The MOA stipulates: IPOPH shall “in cooperation with other institutions and local patent professionals, conduct the necessary knowledge orientation and skills training for the University to open and operate an Innovation and Technology Support Office in its premises specifically through the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Development and in the long term to deliver the following services primarily for the benefit of the University community: patent searches, patent drafting and assistance in patent prosecution services.”
IPOPH was established by Republic Act 8293 to “promote the use of patent information as a tool for technology development.” Its mission is to “work towards economic, technological and socio-cultural development by communicating, enabling and ensuring the effective use of the IP system in all levels of society for the creation, protection, utilization and enforcement of IP; in accordance with its vision of Intellectual Property Conscious Philippines in a demystified, development-oriented and democratized IP System by 2020.”
The MOA further states that IPOPH shall design all training programs to fit the needs of host institutions and ensure that the professional fees or honoraria, travel expenses and accommodations of trainers and mentors are paid for by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and other institutions.
Furthermore, IPOPH shall institute standards, guidelines and manuals for the operation and monitoring of the ITSO; create a business plan, with cost and revenue structures that will enable ITSOs to become viable self-sustaining entities; negotiate with international suppliers, donor institutions and other service providers for preferential rates and favorable terms and conditions to benefit ITSOs; and promote the ITSOs to stakeholders and prospective clientele.
On the other hand, the University shall provide the ITSO with necessary office space and other amenities; commission and dedicate these personnel to the ITSO for the duration of the agreement; commit to send its ITSO personnel and supervisor/director to all IPOPH trainings and capacity-building; provide the UPD community with working knowledge on how to conduct patent searches; and conduct appropriate training programs for its officials, faculty, researchers, personnel and students.
