IPOPHL Receives Test Kit and Protective Gear Donations

June 18, 2020

IPOPHL DG Rowel S. Barba holds up one of the 1,000 test kits donated and turned over last May by the Jaime V Ongpin Foundation. 

The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines has received 1,000 COVID-19 diagnostic test kits from the Jaime V. Ongpin Foundation, Inc.; 50 protective suits, 200 face shields, and 5,000 face masks from the BA Foundation, Inc.; and 100 face shields from Don Bosco-Mandaluyong.

“We are deeply grateful to the Jaime V. Ongpin Foundation, the BA Foundation, and Don Bosco-Mandaluyong for choosing IPOPHL as one of their beneficiaries,” IPOPHL Director General Rowel S. Barba said. 

“The rapid detection test kits and protective gears will help us ensure that our employees are fit to go to the workplace, do not contribute to the spread of the virus, and will be able to go through quarantine and treatments in a timely manner. With a healthy work environment, IPOPHL can continuously work on enabling the emergence of more innovations, particularly those relating to COVID-19,” DG Barba added.

From left to right: Deputy Director General (DDG) Nelson P. Laluces; DG Barba; and DDG Teodoro C. Pascua holding up items donated by the BA Foundation at the turnover last June 5.

The test kits will be administered on all IPOPHL employees reporting to work. The protection gears will likewise be provided to those who report to work.

IPOPHL has resumed full operations beginning the general community quarantine. Majority of its workforce, given that the nature of their work can be performed remotely, were allowed to work from home in a bid to decongest the workplace and properly observe physical distancing. 

The Office has also implemented a schedule for payers and applicants and strictly prohibits walk-ins. IPOPHL also recently launched solutions that now enable the online facilitation of its various services such as on post-filing processes, mediation, and commercial patent search. 

IPOPHL is continuously working to further upgrade its systems for clients to, as much as possible, be able to proceed with processes and access services online.### (Janina Lim, Media Relations Officer)