The Philippines concluded its chairship of the 68th Series of Meetings of the World Intellectual
Property Organization (WIPO) General Assemblies with strengthened international partnerships
and renewed commitments to advance innovation, intellectual property (IP) and technology
cooperation, reinforcing the country’s growing role in shaping the global IP agenda.
Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) Director General Teodoro C. Pascua
congratulated Ambassador Carlos D. Sorreta, Philippine Permanent Representative to the United
Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, for the successful chairship of the
WIPO General Assemblies.
“His leadership came at a pivotal time for international cooperation in advancing innovation and
creativity toward greater sustainable development,” DG Pascua said.
During the meetings held in Geneva from July 7 to 15, IPOPHL, for its part, deepened the
country’s collaboration with WIPO and fellow member states through policy discussions, bilateral
engagements and support for international IP initiatives aimed at accelerating innovation-driven
and inclusive economic growth.
DG Pascua also shared updates on the country’s ongoing contributions to key international IP
initiatives.
Among the initiatives highlighted was the Asian Regional Conference on Artists’ Resale Rights,
held in June this year with substantial financial and technical support from WIPO. The conference
served as a platform for advancing regional dialogue on the implementation of artists’ resale
rights, particularly in response to the rapid evolution of digital art markets.
The Philippines also continued advancing the WIPO Development Agenda project “Sustaining
and Strengthening the Role of Collective Marks as a Tool for Economic, Cultural, and Social
Development through a Holistic Developmental Approach,” which seeks to enable rights holders
and communities to maximize the potential of their collective marks. In line with this project, the
Philippines, alongside co-proponents Bolivia and Brazil, developed a comprehensive practical
training program on the registration, management and use of collective marks to support inclusive
and sustainable enterprise growth.
On the policy front, the Philippines reported progress in the necessary national processes toward
accession to the WIPO Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Associated
Traditional Knowledge.
The Philippines also reaffirmed its support for ongoing efforts to finalize the draft WIPO
Broadcasting Organizations Treaty ahead of a future Diplomatic Conference on the landmark
document.
The country likewise reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening IP enforcement alongside fellow
WIPO member states, building on its role as Vice Chair of the 18th meeting of the Advisory
Committee on Enforcement in June.
During the General Assembly, IPOPHL also secured WIPO’s renewal and extension of its
appointment as an International Searching Authority and International Preliminary Examining
Authority under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), while forging a new collaboration with WIPO
to strengthen patent drafting training for Filipino inventors.
Taken together, these initiatives underscore the Philippines’ commitment to working closely with
WIPO and the international community to strengthen the global IP system while moving its
national innovation and development agenda forward.
“We express our sincere appreciation to WIPO for its active engagement and support for the
Philippines’ priorities, and for being a key partner in advancing initiatives that highlight the
importance of intellectual property in the economy,” DG Pascua said. # # # (Rawl Maliwat,
Communications & Marketing Writer)