IPOPHL Launches Patent eCertificates
10 March 2022
The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines is now issuing electronic Certificates for Patents (Patent eCert), the latest digitalization milestone that brings the agency's objective of providing an end-to-end online service for patent applications closer to reality.
"Today's launch is appropriate because IPOPHL is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year with the theme 'Creating a Silver BRIGHT Future.' Thanks to BOP and MIS, we'll have a forward-looking IPOPHL ready to welcome a more inclusive and inventive 'Silver BRIGHT' future for Filipinos," Barba remarked.
While IPOPHL's work to achieve end-to-end online service began a decade ago, demonstrating the Office's vision for future disruptions, he noted that when the pandemic hit, the Office became more proactive in future-proofing its services.
"Our hard work paid off, as IPOPHL climbed to become one of the government's trailblazers for providing great service online during a lockdown," Barba added.
"Today, we are ushering in a new era in patent administration, marked by total digitization of the process from submission through certificate issuing." Letter Patents and Certificates of Registration for utility models (UM) or industrial designs (ID) will be awarded in a faster, more convenient, efficient, less-costly, and, in the context of the pandemic, safer way using Patent eCerts, according to BOP Director Lolibeth R. Medrano.
Starting March 1, 2022, Patent eCerts will be issued for all innovation applications recommended for grant, as well as UM and ID applications recommended for registrations, per BOP Memorandum Circular 2022-001. Prior to March 1, any grant or registration applications that were recommended for grant or registration would still get the traditional paper Certificate from IPOPHL.
When pursuing commercialization, defending rights over a patent, UM, or ID, and obtaining a competitive edge, such certification is critical for an inventor or firm as proof of ownership. The timely acquisition of these certifications will guarantee that many business or innovation-driven endeavors, such as licensing, commercialization, and patent mining, will
go smoothly.
Incoming patent filers and those scanning the patent landscape in quest of a new innovation project will benefit from the quick granting of eCerts, which will enable for the prompt uploading of patent papers to the IPOPHL Patent Search and other search engines.
The Patent eCert will be issued to applicants or agents via eCorrespondence, IPOPHL's online system for official correspondences between IPOPHL and applicants, if the BOP Director approves a patent grant or registration and the payment of issuance and publishing costs.
Each Patent eCert includes a Quick Response Code that, when scanned, certifies the validity of the document, as well as a link to the full text of the patent document for which it was granted.
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