IPOPHL REVITALIZES YOUTH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY INCENTIVE PROGRAM

The year 2024 is the time for the youth to shine.?

In recognition of the role of the youth in building a progressive and innovative nation, the IPOPHL continues the effectivity of the Youth Intellectual Property Incentive Program (YIPI Program) under Memorandum Circular 2024-028 (MC 2024-028).? The YIPI Program was established on 11 August 2022 under Memorandum Circular 2022-019 (MC 2022-019) and was to run until 31 August 2023 or until certification under the Program of 500 trademark, 200 invention, 200 utility model, and 200 industrial design applications.? It provided waiver of fees, technical consultations and capacity building for youth filers.

MC 2024-028 continues the effectivity of the YIPI Program until 31 December 20024 or until the targeted number of intellectual property applications have been certified under the Program, whichever comes first. [Whereas Clauses and Section 2, MC 2024-028]

MC 2024-28 covers all applications for inventions, utility models, industrial designs and trademarks that are filed by a youth filer.? The definition of “youth filer” under MC 2022-019 was adopted for purposes of the YIPI Program as follows: “any natural person whose age is twenty three (23) years and below at the time of filing of application; or a group of natural persons all of whom have not reached twenty three (23) at the time of filing of their application”. [Section 1.1, MC 2024-028 in relation to Section 7.1, MC 2022-019]? Institutional filers which are “government agencies and institutions, private and public educational and research institutions and non-stock and non-profit organizations, provided there is at least one (1) youth inventor and designer and such youth filer is a co-applicant with the institution” are also covered under the program and given specified benefits. [Section 1.2, MC 2024-028]

For the sole youth filer, the YIPI Program provides waiver of certain fees such as filing fees, first publication fee, substantive examination fee, and the fist and second annuity fees.? Institutional filers are not included in the waiver of fees, even if there is a youth filer as co-applicant.? [Section 3.1, MC 2024-028]?

Youth filers, whether sole or institutional filer with a youth co-applicant,? may request the IPOPHL through its Documentation, Information and Technology Transfer Bureau (DITTB) for technical consultations and capacity building pertaining to commercialization and management of intellectual property.? The technical consultations may be as follows: assistance in preliminary assessment of formality requirements of the draft application before it is filed, and? assistance in filing of the application under the Patent Cooperation Treaty- Filing Assistance Program. [Section 3.2, MC 2024-028]

To avail of the benefits under the YIPI Program, the applicant must request for a certification from the DITTB of its status as a youth filer, through a request form qirh a government-issued identification card, a school or company issued ID bearing a picture of the applicant and a copy of the applicant’s birth certificate issued by the National Statistics Office/Philippine Statistics Authority.? For institutional filers having a youth filer as co-applicant, the request form must be signed by the institution’s authorized signatory and should be accompanied by the foregoing relevant documents pertaining to the youth filer.? The online application should be accompanied by the DITTB certification. [Section 4, MC 2024-028]

Project Mechanics and Project Monitoring shall continue as provided under MC 2022-019.

MC 2024-028 was signed by IPOPHL Director-General and takes effect immediately upon its signing on 06 August 2024.???

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This article is intended for reportorial and informational purposes only and should not be considered as legal advice.

For any questions or legal concerns regarding Intellectual Property Applications, you may contact the author:

MA. SOPHIA EDITHA C. CRUZ-ABRENICA

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