IPOPHL readies AI strategy for responsible innovation and improved efficiency
December 17, 2025
Emphasizing the need to keep pace with emerging global trends, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) has identified AI as a key policy priority, as disclosed during its year-end Stakeholders Forum.
The annual gathering, held last week at the EDSA Shangri-La in Mandaluyong City, provided IPOPHL with an opportunity to publicly share its developments and accomplishments over the past year, present key plans for the year ahead and engage in meaningful dialogue with stakeholders and partners regarding its policy and programs.
During the forum’s feedback session, Acting Director General Nathaniel S. Arevalo addressed questions on the agency’s institutional readiness for AI’s rapid emergence, reassuring stakeholders that it was a priority issue “all the way to the top.”
Arevalo cited the current administration’s launch of the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, which set the direction for AI regulation and adoption in the Philippines, and noted that IPOPHL is in the process of developing its own AI strategy in alignment with it.
In line with this development, the Bureau of Patents and Bureau of Trademarks have both begun to explore the possibility of integrating AI tools into their respective examination processes. The Bureau of Copyright and Related Rights has also stated that it is carefully studying the legal and practical ramifications of AI on copyright protection and enforcement, given its sweeping impacts on the creative field.
Resilience as institutional strength
Beyond AI, IPOPHL officials also addressed questions on adjusted fees and documentary requirement; refinement of various digital procedures, from email protocols to online verification processes; legal basis for certain functions in IP practice; IP initiatives assisting MSMEs; and enforcement activities against counterfeiting and piracy.
On questions about support for the commercialization of inventions, the Documentation, Information and Technology Transfer Bureau highlighted IPOPHL’s capacity building initiatives and close collaboration with other government agencies that hold a direct and relevant mandate, such as the Department of Science and Technology’s Technology Application and Promotion Institute.
The Bureau of Legal Affairs also reminded stakeholders of its Mediation Outside Litigation services for avoiding costly and time-consuming court litigation and shared new rules on expediting cases involving IP violations.
Stakeholders also shared their feedback on the Patent and Trademark Agent Recognition Examinations, salient points of which had been presented earlier in the program.
Throughout the session, IPOPHL officials thanked stakeholders for their suggestions and insights and underscored their vital contribution in helping IPOPHL be more efficient and responsive in its service to them. Affirming resilience as a vital foundation for the continued delivery of IPOPHL’s mandate, OIC-Deputy Director General Frisco L. Guce noted in his closing remarks that challenges often serve as a catalyst for innovation.
“We witness this every day through those we serve at IPOPHL, from inventors who turn adversity into opportunity, to social entrepreneurs who uplift their communities and artists who channel hardship into expressions of beauty and connection,” Guce said. “This spirit shown by Filipino innovators is something we at IPOPHL strive to embody in our own line of work.” # # # (Rawl Maliwat, Communications and Marketing Writer)