Philippines chairs WIPO General Assembly

The Philippines opens the 68th Series of Meetings of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) General Assembly as Chair of the organization’s highest decision-making body, reinforcing the country’s increasing significance in global conversations on innovation, creativity and intellectual property (IP).

Representing the Philippines and delivering the country statement at the opening ceremony at the WIPO Headquarters in Geneva on July 7, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) reaffirmed the country’s commitment to strengthening international cooperation on IP and advancing innovation amid rapid technological and geopolitical change.

“As the current Chair of ASEAN, the Philippines is proud to advance regional initiatives that contribute to the global IP system through the development of an ASEAN IP Valuation Handy Manual,” Director General (DG) Pascua said as he shared updates on the country’s IP milestones since the last General Assembly in 2025.

Among IPOPHL’s key achievements was the significant advancement of the country’s Geographical Indication (GI) system through the registration of three new products—Aklan Piña, Asin Tibuok and T’nalak Tau Sebu—in the past year, followed by the launch of the Philippine GI logo in April.

DG Pascua further spotlighted the opening of the IP Help Desk at Greenhills Mall as a concrete step toward bringing IP services and enforcement closer to the people and businesses the agency serves.

He also expressed IPOPHL’s intention to renew and extend its appointment as an International Searching Authority and International Preliminary Examining Authority under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).

These initiatives reflect the Philippines’ commitment strengthening its IP system to move its national innovation and development agenda forward, aligned with strategic and developmental roadmaps laid out by WIPO to support its member states.

“We express our sincere appreciation to WIPO for its active engagement and support for the Philippines’ priorities, and for being a key partner in advancing initiatives that highlight the importance of intellectual property in the economy,” DG Pascua said.

DG Pascua congratulated DG Daren Tang for his nomination for a second term at WIPO, expressing confidence that his continued leadership “will continue to strengthen an inclusive and innovation driven global intellectual property ecosystem.”

He also congratulated Ambassador Carlos D. Sorreta, Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the UN and Other International Organizations, on his assumption as Chair of the WIPO General Assembly for its 67th and 68th sessions.

The WIPO GA is an annual gathering that brings together the organization’s 194 Member States to discuss global IP policy and the future direction of the international IP system. (Rawl Maliwat, Communications & Marketing Writer)