The Philippines, through the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), is leading a key regional initiative on intellectual property (IP) valuation and commercialization as ASEAN elevates these areas to the top of its innovation agenda at the 78th ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings, signaling a shift toward more economically grounded and future-ready IP systems. 

IPOPHL Acting Director General (ADG) Nathaniel S. Arevalo emphasized that the region stands at a critical juncture, where IP systems must evolve in response to the rapid rise of a variety of intangible assets, especially in the digital sphere. 

“We are entering an era where value is increasingly intangible, and innovation moves at digital speed. ASEAN’s strength will lie in how well we align our IP systems, so they can unlock the economic potential of IP assets across borders. The work we are doing today lays the foundation for a more resilient, inclusive and innovation-driven regional economy,” ADG Arevalo said. 

IPOPHL has been leading the development of the ASEAN IP Valuation Manual, which will provide ASEAN Member States (AMS) with a harmonized reference for appraising the monetary worth of IP using internationally recognized methods.  

The proposed manual aims to build capacity among IP and technology transfer professionals, financial regulators and business stakeholders while supporting increased technology transfer activities, commercialization initiatives and IP-backed financing across the ASEAN region. 

The IP Valuation Manual is on track with the proposed timeline in the endorsed concept note, with the first phase covering creatives and patents. This was made possible with the assistance of external partners such as the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the IP offices of the United Kingdom and the European Union (UKIPO and EUIPO). Additionally, a consultation with stakeholders through the Philippine Creative Industries Development Council (PCIDC) was also conducted to ensure that the priority needs are met. 

IPOPHL’s experience in valuation is demonstrated in its development of the IP Valuation Manual for the APEC IP Rights Experts’ Group (IPEG) in 2018, one of its lead initiatives during the Philippine chairship. 

Digitalization and AI integration 

Responding to the increasing volume of intangible commercial assets in the digital sphere, which include digital content, virtual goods and services, and AI-generated works, IPOPHL put forward a proposal to develop a regional guideline on AI-generated and digital trademarks, which aim to provide practical guidance for examiners through case examples, checklists, and frameworks that can be applied within existing trademark systems. 

Backed by positive feedback from AMS, the project is set to strengthen the quality, consistency and predictability of trademark examination across the region, bolstering innovation-led businesses and MSMEs. 

IPOPHL also expressed optimism toward its plans to develop the agency’s own AI strategy, which is aligned with the Philippines’ National AI Strategy as approved by the National Innovation Council. 

Sharing knowledge and insights on other collaborative initiatives 

IPOPHL provided updates on the Competency Framework for IP Practitioners, particularly that it was finalized and introduced to AMS and counterparts from Australia and New Zealand in June last year. The framework aims to strengthen professional standards in IP practice across the region.  

IPOPHL also shared its progress toward recommending the Philippines’ accession to the WIPO Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge (GRATK), which will reinforce protections against biopiracy and the misappropriation of indigenous peoples and local communities’ genetic resources, such as medicinal plants and heirloom crop varieties, as well as the knowledge of how to produce and utilize them.  

Highlighting its successful implementation of the Philippine E-Commerce Code of Conduct (COC) through the E-Commerce Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) as an example, IPOPHL expressed support for the endorsement of AMS of the draft ASEAN Model COC, with comments submitted to the ASEAN Secretariat at the end of March. 

IPOPHL also provided a refresher on the 2nd ASEAN TISC Network (ATN) Meeting, which it led last February. The meeting highlighted strong regional collaboration and the continued role of the ATN in facilitating knowledge exchange, training, and resource sharing among AMS. 

Presenting a united front toward the future of IP 

The IP Leaders’ Retreat, held a day before the start of the AWGIPC, featured dialogues on advancing a whole-of-government approach to implementing the ASEAN Action Plan for 2026–2030, including plenary sessions on the evolving roles and competencies required of future IP offices as well as discussions of trends in IP filing and the ASEAN innovation landscape. 

Leaders also engaged in a strategic planning exercise designed to prepare IP offices for extreme and rapidly changing scenarios, including technological disruption and global economic uncertainties. These conversations highlighted the growing imperative to adopt artificial intelligence to enhance IP administration, analytics and service delivery while also strengthening international cooperation to address increasingly complex and interconnected IP challenges. 

As side events to the broader AWGIPC meetings, IPOPHL held bilateral talks with WIPO, UKIPO and EUIPO focusing once again on IP valuation, as well as with Indonesia’s Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DGIP) on copyright royalties. 

It also launched the IP Triumphs documentary series, featuring innovative MSMEs from the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Lao PDR and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, to be released on ASEAN and IP office platforms. # # # (Rawl Maliwat, Communications & Marketing Writer)