BY: ROI ANTHONI B. LOMOTAN
DUMAGUETE CITY, July 26 (PIA) – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Negros Oriental conducted a seminar on the Intellectual Property Rights recently in cooperation with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPO) attended by members of the academe and some entrepreneurs in the province.
The seminar aims to raise the public's awareness on the role of intellectual property on trade and how it can be used to make businesses more competitive.
DTI-Negros Oriental chief trade and industry specialist, Angeline Pauline Gonzales stated that intellectual property is important since it gives protection to producer’s rights, ideas and creativity.
Intellectual property refers to any creation or product of human mind which can be in the form of invention, industrial design, practical application of a good idea, marks of ownership like trademarks and literary or other artistic works, Gonzales explained.
Guest speakers from the IPO namely Engr. Eric C. Paden, IP Field Operations Unit Area Manager for Visayas and Engr. Emmanuel Mendoza, Area Manager for Northern Luzon briefed participants on the importance of intellectual property, classifications of intellectual property rights, intellectual property application process and the services of IPO.
“Nowadays, intellectual property is a key consideration in the day to day business decision of most of the heads of multinational companies,” Engr. Mendoza said.
He added that in order to obtain an intellectual property, creations should be new and not obvious and it has investment applicability.
Engr. Paden on the other hand, emphasized to entrepreneurs that it is important to register their creation to the intellectual property before putting it to the market to prevent other competitors from copying their product.
Engr. Paden also cited other advantages of registering intellectual property like revenue generation for schools or individuals. It also enhances corporate identity and opens access to bigger markets.
However, the registration of intellectual property is on first come, first serve basis so it is important to register creations immediately.
Individuals who are interested to apply for intellectual property can come to IPO’s satellite office in Cebu located at 3rd floor, WDC Building, Osmeña cor. Burgos St. in Cebu City. (mbcn/ral/PIA7-NegOr)