The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) recently engaged with communities in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to highlight the potential of intellectual property (IP) in accelerating the region’s economic growth.
IPOPHL Director General Rowel S. Barba emphasized that the agency’s two-day visit to Cotabato City aimed to raise awareness about the importance of IP in BARMM.
“IP in its various forms—patents, trademarks, and copyrights—plays a critical role in protecting BARMM’s unique products, preserving its cultural heritage, and fostering a dynamic investment climate,” Barba stated.
He further noted that intellectual property could help position BARMM as a leader in the Philippines’ ambition to become the Halal center of the Asia-Pacific region by 2028, as outlined in the Philippine Halal Industry Development Strategic Plan 2023-2028.
This strategic plan aims to double the number of Philippine-made halal-certified products and services from 3,000 to 6,000 by 2028, attract P230 billion in investments, and create 120,000 jobs over the next four years.
“With the Halal market expected to grow significantly in the region, competition will be intense but full of opportunities. IP can serve as a crucial tool for BARMM’s Halal producers and traders to stand out in this competitive landscape,” Barba said during a KaIPhan session with local media on July 22.
During the visit, the IPOPHL team also met with the heads of the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Trade, Investments, and Tourism in BARMM to explore potential areas for collaboration. On July 23, IPOPHL hosted 124 participants from local government offices, MSMEs, and creative industries in its community-targeted awareness program, “Raising the Economy by Acquiring Protection of the IP of your Community (REAP IP) Program.”
“With enhanced knowledge on registering their IP assets and enforcing their IP rights, the inventors, artists, and MSMEs we met in BARMM are now better equipped to turn their ideas into marketable products, contributing to the region’s transition from its peace-building phase to a golden era of economic prosperity,” Barba added.
DG Barba also expressed gratitude for the support of BARMM’s local offices and the Philippine Information Agency in connecting IPOPHL with the region’s communities.
According to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, BARMM’s GDP increased from P280.3 billion in 2022 to P292.2 billion in 2023. This growth reflects the region’s continued positive performance, following its remarkable post-pandemic recovery in 2021, when it recorded the second-fastest growth rate among all regions in the country.
