Rowel S. Barba, director general of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), has lamented that developing countries, like the Philippines and least-developed ones, bear the brunt of the sluggish pace in realizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

Barba raised the issue as his agency officially opened Monday, April 1, the National Intellectual Property Month (NIPM) with the theme “IP and SDGs” and challenged innovators, creators and businesses to help accelerate progress in realizing the SDGs on people, peace, planet and prosperity.

The 2024 NIPM theme follows the global theme set by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) for World IP Day on April 26. The goal is to highlight IP as a key incentive to innovation and creativity to help realize the SDG 2030 Agenda.

Citing a 2023 report by the United Nations, Barba pointed out that 30 percent of 140 measurable targets recorded zero progress while 15 percent that booked developments remain far from the desired results. 

“Now is the time for the IP community to step up to the challenge,” the IPOPHL chief said at the NIPM kick-off press conference on Monday.

He urged IP rights holders and creators to turn to the Philippine Development Plan 2023 - 2028, which recognizes the key role that the IP system and innovation play in the country’s goals towards inclusiveness, climate-resilience, green energy, modernized agriculture and an overall better standard of living.

“As the PDP said, we need ‘a more vigorous intellectual property culture’ to advance innovations in various aspects, whether in improving health care services, developing competitive industries, creating knowledge hubs across regions, protecting our culture and adding value to our creative and innovative assets,” Barba added. 

Documentation, Information and Technology Transfer Bureau Director Ralph Jarvis H. Alindogan presented the several activities IPOPHL will be conducting for NIPM 2024, which include awareness, education and capacity-building activities for various sectors of the IP community. 

The culminating event is the Gawad Yamang Isip Awards on April 29. The annual GYI is a venue for discussions to improve the state of IP in the country and recognize businesses, innovators and creators who are optimizing their IP assets in relation to NIPM 2024 theme in focus.

For her part, Deputy Director General Ann Claire C. Cabochan called on the public to join the NIPM 2024 celebration by participating in both online and physical events and helping spread the word about IP’s role in the SDG 2030. 

“While these SDGs may seem lofty and ambitious, this is where the power of ideas comes in to make a positive change in the world,” Cabochan said, while sharing success stories of Philippine-made technologies that are making an impact in society. 

“As WIPO says, we need to rethink how we live, work, and play to build our common future and achieve the SDGs,” Cabochan added.