As economies navigate rising costs and increasingly unpredictable economic landscapes, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) is calling for stronger local investments to generate technologies and protect these intellectual property (IP) assets. 

“In times of uncertainty, investing more intensively in innovation is an imperative. Now more than ever, innovation must be at the core of how we respond to today’s challenges. And protecting them through the IP system must be viewed as a strategic tool to empower businesses to stay competitive, especially in challenging conditions,” said IPOPHL Acting Director General (ADG) Arevalo during the press conference. 

The agency emphasized that innovation, particularly solutions that improve efficiency, reduce costs and optimize resources, has become a critical strategy for enterprises adapting to shifting market dynamics and lingering uncertainties. 

The call comes as the Philippines booked a new record in IP filing activity in 2025, reflecting an accelerated pace of innovation and sustained momentum in IP protection. 

More notably, IPOPHL highlighted a significant shift toward domestic innovation. In 2025, the share of resident patent filings climbed to 19.44%, up from 11.4% in 2020, signaling a growing confidence among Filipinos to produce technologies and a need to protect the value of their innovations. 

“This shift tells a compelling story. More Filipinos are recognizing that securing their intellectual property is a crucial step in transforming technologies into tangible economic assets,” Arevalo said. 

IPOPHL said it has been ramping up efforts to support innovators across the entire IP lifecycle, from awareness and protection to commercialization. On top of these efforts is its Innovation and Technology Support Program, through which IPOPHL enables universities and research institutions to translate research into protected, market-ready assets. 

ITSOs contribute significantly to resident filings. In 2025 alone, ITSOs accounted for 63% in resident patent filings, 56% in overall utility model (UM) filings, and 42% out of all industrial design (ID) applications.  

In 2025, ITSOs have posted a 19% year-on-year increase in income from IP assets in 2025, signaling increased activities to bring innovations to market. It also booked a new record in IP filings, which totaled 3,242, up 43.7% from 2024.  

“IPOPHL will continue to ensure that these innovations translate into real impact in the lives of people,” Arevalo added. “We will continue to strengthen support for both IP protection and commercialization so that Filipino ingenuity can drive growth, resilience and an inclusive national development.”