HONG KONG– The Department of Trade and Industry through the Philippine Trade and Investment Center – Hong Kong (PTIC-HK) and the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), once again participated in this year’s Business IP Asia Forum (BIP Asia) 2023 last 7-8 December 2023, to promote and explore the IP business collaboration opportunities in the Philippines.
The BIP Asia is one of the signature events in relation to the intellectual property (IP) industry in Asia that brings together global IP professionals and business leaders to discuss the latest developments in this field. The BIP Asia is jointly organized by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC).
During the BIP Asia 2023, IPOPHL Director General (DG) Rowel S. Barba participated as a panelist during the forum “Policy Dialogue – Powering Economic Growth through a Future-Ready IP Policy”. DG Barba shed light on the regional vision for IP rights and the pivotal role of future-ready IP policies in driving economic growth in the Philippines and the Asia-Pacific Region.
“IP and innovation can serve as a catalyst for sustainable economic growth in the Asia-Pacific Region by a fostering dynamic and competitive environment that encourage the trade and investment creativity and collaboration,” said DG Barba.
Other speakers in the panel discussion were Mr. Daren Tang, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization; Mr. Santisouk Phounesavath, Chairman of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation; and, Prof. Dr. M. Zeki Durak, President of the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office.
Furthermore, DG Barba signed two significant Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) during the BIP Asia 2023 event. These MOUs were signed with the Brunei Intellectual Property Office (BruIPO) on 7 December 2023 and the Hong Kong Intellectual Property Department (HKIPD) on 8 December 2023.
The MOU between Hong Kong and the Philippines will help improve the intellectual property practices of both countries because they will be sharing their best practices with each other.
Further, the Philippines will also benefit from the role of Hong Kong in connecting Mainland China to the Philippines. Both MOUs aim to foster closer ties, facilitate knowledge exchange, and promote mutual understanding in IP-related matters between the Philippines and these places.
During the two-day BIP Asia 2023, a total of forty-one (41) foreign businessmen and service providers, along with eighty-one (81) individual government official and business delegation from the Philippines, visited the Philippine booth.
For more information about the BIP Asia 2023, please visit their official website https://bipasia.hktdc.com/conference/bip/en or contact the PTIC-HK at hongkong@dti.gov.ph. You may also follow the official Facebook page of the PTIC-HK at DTI Hong Kong to obtain more information. ♦
A photo taken before the MOU signing ceremony between the IPOPHL and HKIPD on 8 December 2023. Vice Consul (Commercial) and Commercial Attaché of the PTIC-HK, Atty. Roberto B. Mabalot (2nd from right), and DG of the IPOPHL, Atty. Rowel S. Barba (2nd from left) attended the ceremony. (Photo credit: Hong Kong Intellectual Property Department) 
DG of the IPOPHL, Atty. Rowel S. Barba (left) and Director of the HKIPD, Mr. David Wong (right), signed an MOU on 8 December 2023. (Photo credit: Hong Kong Intellectual Property Department)
Date of Release: 11 January 2024