Ateneo Intellectual Property Office Celebrates IP Week 2023

The Ateneo Intellectual Property Office (AIPO), in collaboration with the IP Academy of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), successfully held its highly anticipated annual IP Week from 24 to 28 April 2023. Headed by the Protection and Education Group (PEG), a division under the AIPO, the event aimed to inspire innovation and creativity while emphasizing the significance of protecting intellectual property (IP) rights. The overarching theme of this year's IP Week was "Women and IP: Accelerating Innovation and Creativity," aligning it with the theme of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)’s World IP Day 2023 on 26 April 2023.

This year’s IP Week served as a dynamic platform to showcase the immense value of intellectual property rights in fostering a culture of innovation. It featured a diverse range of activities designed to engage and educate participants. These activities included keynote speeches and panel discussions covering various aspects of intellectual property, such as copyrights, trademarks, patents, how IP drives innovation and creativity, the role of women in IP, and navigating AI and IP. Through these sessions, attendees gained a comprehensive understanding of the legal frameworks and best practices for safeguarding their innovative ideas and creations.

The IP Week was held virtually and was composed of the following series of webinars:

• 24 April - IP Roadshow Part 1
• 25 Apri - IP Roadshow Part 2
• 26 April - IP and Design
• 26 April - IP Empowerment
• 27 April - IP Homecoming
• 28 April - IP and AI

The first event held on April 24, “IP Roadshow Part 1: The IP System and IPOPHL, Copyrights, and Related Rights”, was presented by Engr Kevin Facun and Dr Kenny Bayudan, Senior Consultants of the IP Academy. The webinar was attended by 110 participants, who are composed of students, researchers, faculty, and entrepreneurs. The webinar highlighted the importance of the IP system in the Philippines, the IPOPHL mandates, and a general primer on copyrights and related rights.

The second event was part 2 of the day 1 session entitled “IP Roadshow Part 2: Trademarks and Patents,” presented by Engr Kevin Facun and Ms Rosette Anne Consolacion, Senior Consultants of the IP Academy. The event was attended by 102 participants, mostly students, and the rest were faculty and researchers from the private and public sectors who learned about the general primer on trademarks and patents.

Two sessions were held on 26 April to commemorate World Intellectual Property Day, highlighting the important role that women play in the field of intellectual property. These events revolved around the theme "Women and IP: Accelerating Innovation and Creativity," aiming to bring attention to the invaluable contributions made by women in this domain. One of the sessions, titled "HER Innovations: Women in IP Driving Creative Design," was focused on IP and Design and graciously led by Ms. Alessandra Lanot, a representative from the Design Center of the Philippines. The session attracted the participation of 82 attendees, primarily students, faculty, and entrepreneurs. The webinar features the impact of women on creative design in IP, sharing their experiences, insights, and strategies for success.

Meanwhile, a talk on IP Empowerment entitled “Cultivating Our Feminine Side Through IP," was presented by Atty Aileen V Sicat, a faculty member from the Leadership and Strategy Department of Ateneo de Manila. This talk, centered around IP empowerment, garnered the participation of 83 attendees, predominantly students and faculty members from various academic institutions. The session served as a platform to raise awareness about the remarkable contributions made by women in the realm of intellectual property.

By recognizing and celebrating the achievements of women in IP, IP Week aimed to inspire and empower aspiring female innovators, entrepreneurs, and IP professionals to protect and assert their rights, further fostering a gender-inclusive and diverse innovation ecosystem.

The 4th event was a session on “IP Homecoming,” facilitated by Dr Frederick Romero, OIC-Director of the IP Academy. The guest panelists, including Atty Catherine Jennifer Gonzales, Atty Aileen V Sicat, Atty Francisco Viceni Alba II and Atty Felicismo Agas III, who were former Ateneo students, attended the IP Homecoming. The IP Homecoming was attended by 65 participants from the Ateneo community and different organizations and institutions. The webinar is a career-oriented talk that encourages and provides enlightenment to potential IP practitioners with regards to the opportunities the intellectual property profession can offer.

The fifth and last event for IP Week was held on 28 April 2023, and is entitled “IP and AI." The talk was conducted by Atty Darwin P Angeles, a partner from the Molo Sia Dy Tuazon and Coloma Law Office. The event was attended by 119 participants from the Ateneo community and other organizations and institutions. The discussion focused on the latest developments and best practices in the areas of intellectual property and artificial intelligence and how AI is changing the IP landscape.

Overall, IP Week 2023 was a huge success, with a significant number of participants from both inside and outside the Ateneo community. The IP Week events provided a wide range of discussions and presentations on copyrights and related rights, trademarks, patents, the role of women in IP, and how intellectual property drives innovation and creativity. AIPO and the IP Academy hope to collaborate more to promote IP awareness and continue to encourage and educate the next generation of innovators and creators.

To explore more IP-related webinars like these, you may visit www.aipo.ateneo.edu or email them at aipo@ateneo.edu. You may also check out their Facebook page for the latest updates and announcements: www.facebook.com/AteneoIPO.