DA-PhilRice Intellectual Property Management, Technology Transfer, and Commercialization

Intellectual Property (IP) refers to creations of the mind that are protected by law. DA-PhilRice promulgated its own IP policy, in consonance with national laws such as the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines (RA 8293), Plant Variety Protection Act (RA 9168), and the Technology Transfer Act (RA 10055). DA-PhilRice also entered into an agreement with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) for the establishment of the Innovation and Technology Support Office (ITSO).


Who is covered?

Our IP policy covers:

      • regular staff members whether in permanent, casual, or temporary status
      • those under contract of service or special appointment or designation, whether in a full-time or part-time engagement status, such as service or professional contractors, consultants, and undergraduate students; and
      • collaborators or partners, whether in the national rice R&D network or other agencies and organizations, public and private such as postgraduate fellows, visiting scientists, those on sabbatical leave, project and study leaders, and trainees.

Those covered shall have the obligations to comply with the DA-PhilRice Intellectual Property Policy and its implementing guidelines, and specifically, to:

      • disclose promptly to DA-PhilRice any IP or any information thereto which he/she may solely or jointly with other discoverers generate or create in the performance of the contract, or with use of DA-PhilRice funds, facilities, or services
      • do all things necessary to assist DA-PhilRice in protecting and commercializing the IP; and
      • use any proprietary information on any IP of DA-PhilRice only in the performance of the contract and employ all reasonable precautions to assure that they are not disclosed to unauthorized persons or used in an unauthorized manner, among others.

Kinds of IP

List of Intellectual property rights (IPR) encountered at DA-PhilRice, but by no means exclusive.

1. Patent and utility model – A patent is an exclusive right granted by the government for a product or process which is new, non-obvious, and industrially applicable. To establish patentability, an invention is compared to the closest prior art(s). A patent is applied for if the difference is not obvious. Otherwise, a utility model is opted for. A utility model is similar to a patent except that it does not satisfy the non-obviousness criterion.

It is prudent not to completely disclose an invention prior to IP application. Otherwise, there is a risk of losing the right to the public domain.

2. Copyright – This refers to the rights of authors to control the reproduction, sale, dissemination, copying, and publishing of their works.

3. Industrial Design – It protects the new ornamental appearance, shape, configuration, or pattern of an article of manufacture.

4. Plant Variety Protection (PVP) – protection granted by law to breeders or farmers over the varieties they bred or developed. The variety should be distinct, uniform, and stable.

Where to go?

Any employee with potential IP should contact the Intellectual Property Management Office (IPMO)/ ITSO at PhilRice CES Business Development Division or email bdd@mail.philrice.gov.ph for appropriate protection and application.

For inquiries on related topics like IPR incentives, royalties and benefits, material transfer agreements (MTAs), licensing, commercialization etc., you may refer to: DA-PhilRice Administrative Orders (AO) No. 2004-08, 2011-02, and 2019-002.

Establishment

DA-PhilRice started its foray into IPR protection in 2004 with the signing of an administrative order by then Executive Director Leocadio Sebastian stating the Institute’s Intellectual Property Rights statement with its corresponding implementing guidelines. This was previously approved by the DA-PhilRice Board of Trustees in its regular meeting.

The IPMO was then led by the Deputy for Administration, Atty. Ronilo A. Beronio. In the first ever patent agent qualifying examinations (PAQE), two PhilRice staffers hurdled the exam and became full-fledged patent agents.

In 2011, DA-PhilRice became an ITSO agency under the IPOPHL. This program seeks to foster creation of IP in the academe and research sectors, particularly in invention and utility models, to increase the national innovative output and to push the presence of Filipino inventions in the international patent system.

The IPMO-ITSO led by Atty. Jerry Serapion since 2012 is a recipient of numerous awards including the Intellectual Property Award granted by the IPOPHL for being the Top Patent Grantee from 2009 to 2018. During the 2018 IP Convergence, the office also received the Gawad Yamang Isip – Special Citation. At the present setup, the IPMO-ITSO is a component office of the Business Development Division.

In 2019, the DA-PhilRice’s Protocol on IP management, technology transfer, and commercialization was signed as an Administrative Order by then Acting Executive Director Sailila E. Abdula. In the said protocol the PhilRice Business Development Division (BDD) is tasked to lead in the management of all mature income-generating technologies and technology transfer activities of PhilRice with the following activities:

      • Prepare confidential disclosures from researchers
      • Provide technology assessment and valuation service to establish the IP assets and determine their worth or value
      • Promote IPs ready for commercialization among potential technology adopters
      • Undertake technology licensing, transfer, or commercialization negotiations
      • Maintain databases of IPs to ensure traceability and retrieval
      • Review status of maintained IPs and submit the proper recommendation to management
      • Manage revenues from IPs

As of 2022, the DA-PhilRice has obtained 36 patents, 51 utility models, 10 industrial designs, 9 trademarks, and 284 copyrighted works. Ongoing applications are not yet included in this number.

Interested parties may email bdd@mail.philrice.gov.ph for the licensing process and other requirements.

News and Updates

Please click this link for news and updates about PhilRice IP management.

Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) is a government corporate entity attached to the Department of Agriculture created through Executive Order 1061 on 5 November 1985 (as amended) to help develop high-yielding and cost-reducing technologies so farmers can produce enough rice for all Filipinos.

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