The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) said Innovation and Technology Support Offices (ITSOs) have posted a 19% year-on-year increase in income from IP assets in 2025, signaling increased efforts to bring innovations to market.  

Universities, colleges and research centers that are members of the ITSO Program generated a total of P24.3 million in income from their intellectual property (IP) assets, up from P20.4 million in 2024. Commercialization pathways included licensing, spin-offs and direct sales.  

“These figures reflect the growing impact of technology transfer and IP commercialization efforts across the ITSOs. It highlights how research and innovation not only contributes to knowledge and societal benefits, but also generates tangible economic value for the institutions and stakeholders involved,” said Acting Director General Nathaniel S. Arevalo. 

The commercial success in ITSOs is complemented by another year of record-high IP filings, which totaled 3,242, up 43.7% from 2,257 in 2024. 

Out of 999 resident patent filings last year, ITSOs accounted for 506 or 50.7% after booking a 15.3% annual increase.  

ITSOs also contributed 47.7% or 858 of 1,800 utility model (UM) filings, and 28.8% or 454 out of 1,578 industrial design (ID) applications. UM and ID filings expanded by 31.8% and 31.2%, respectively. 

Copyrights nearly doubled to 1,197 filings, out of 6,732 resident filings and contributing 17.8%. Meanwhile, trademark applications grew by 51.3%, accounting for 0.9% of total resident filings.  

The positive gains of ITSOs in 2025 were presented by Documentation, Information and Technology Transfer Bureau Director Ralph Jarvis H. Alindogan at the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) regional meeting with ASEAN members. Held in Manila on the meeting provided an avenue to share best practices and strengthen the ASEAN Regional TISC (Technology and Innovation Support Centers) Network. 

Now with 103 members, the ITSO Program is IPOPHL’s flagship initiative to boost innovation. It forms part of the global network of TISCs established by WIPO and implemented worldwide to help innovators, researchers and institutions access high-quality technology information, develop IP assets and support the commercialization of research outputs. 

Interntional partners welcomed the continued growth of the ITSO ecosystem in the Philippines and across the region. 

Alex Riechel, Head of the TISC Development Section, IP for Innovators Department, IP and Innovation Ecosystems Sector at WIPO, highlighted ASEAN’s progress. He said the region has established “a world-first, formally established mechanism for coordinating the development of TISCs,” while emphasizing the need to sustain momentum to unlock innovation and create value from IP. 

Motohiro Nishio, IP Attaché of the Japan Patent Office for Southeast Asia, underscored the role of strong IP systems in innovation-driven economies, noting “Japan strongly believes that robust IP systems with effective information access and practical technology transfer are essential for innovation-driven growth.” # # # (Rawl Maliwat, Communications & Marketing Writer)