CEBU CITY, Cebu, Philippines — Inline with the two-day National High Level Forum on Innovation and the Creative Industries Ecosystem spearheaded by the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) done in this city's Radisson Blu Hotel from August 22 and 23, various working strategies were cited to address continuing challenges like piracy and copyright infringements.

Dimiter Gantchev, Deputy Director, Creators and Performers Support Division of the WIPO who served as a keynote speaker bared that copyright challenges can be addressed through policy interventions and stronger advocacy.

“Creativity is the subject matter of copyright protection, but poses definitional problems,” he said.

Gantchev in his speech also said creative industries are expanding and Intellectual Property (IP) is an important enabling factor for their growth.

He added that the creative industries are the backbone of growth and need to be harnessed.

“Producing economic evidence on the creative industries facilities policy making and raising public awareness,” said Gantchev.

He also pointed out that strategies on creative industries reflect a level of commitment and are preceded by serious work.

Gantchev disclosed that the WIPO is providing assistance to national (IP) and creative industries strategies and industries.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 7 regional director Asteria Caberte echoed the need to have a stronger drive on IP protection to upgrade the value chain of creative sector.

“The agency, being in the forefront of the creative sector, is pushing for more advocacy as we encourage more companies to apply for their patent rights,” she said.