For its 8th Module, DTI Rizal, through the Collaborative Harnessing Assistance for Mentoring Program for SMEs (CHAMPS), conducted a webinar on “Understanding Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights, and Trade Secrets” on 29 June 2022, which was attended by 37 people in the Zoom Meeting Room, including CHAMPS Beneficiaries from current and previous seasons, other entrepreneurs, DTI Rizal staff, and other government and private partners. The webinar was also simultaneously broadcast on the CHAMPS Season 3 Private Facebook Group for beneficiaries having trouble accessing Zoom.
Business Development Division Chief Sharon F. Dioco, first thanked Mr. Marlo Carag and Engr. Maria Teresa Laggui of IPO for the continued partnership. Ms. Dioco stressed to the participants the importance of having their intellectual property registered, as it is a very important business asset that owners have worked hard for.
Business Counselor (BC) Johanna Faye Javier of Negosyo Center Cardona refreshed the participants’ minds of their previous session on branding not more than a month prior and asked them to treat the day’s module as a continuation. She then turned the spotlight over to the speaker, Mr. Marlo Carag, Assistant Head of Field Operations Unit of IPO Philippines.
Mr. Carag started his presentation by clarifying that IP registration protects the expressions of business ideas and not the ideas themselves, and how having it registered protects and benefits the original creator. He then proceeded to discuss the differences between patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets, which one to apply for depending on the expressed idea that an individual wants to register, and presented examples for better understanding. He also presented the application process, fees, and Juana Make a Mark, a program made to encourage MSMEs to register their expressed ideas wherein registration fees are waived for trademark registration. Participants also had an opportunity to raise their questions and other concerns, which Mr. Carag answered.
“Collaborative Harnessing Assistance for Mentoring Program for SMEs” (CHAMPS) Rizal is a local mentoring program designed to groom Rizal-based MSMEs to qualify for flagship programs of DTI such as Kapatid Mentor ME and One Town, One Product (OTOP). ♦
Date of Release: 12 July 2022