NC coordinators train on intellectual property applications

DTI VI OIC-Regional Director Rebecca M. Rascon joins the IPOPHL and other regional officials together with Negosyo Center coordinators and business counselors during the one-day capacity building activity.

Negosyo Center coordinators and business counselors here underwent a one-day seminar-workshop to equip them with relevant knowledge and skills in promoting the importance of effective utilization of intellectual property (IP) in the region. 

The Intellectual Property Satellite Office (IPSO) – Iloilo conducted the “Negosyo Ko, IPO-Protect Ko” – A Capacity Building Activity for DTI Negosyo Center Coordinators in Region 6 at the DTI AVR on March 9, 2017.

The activity aims to increase the understanding and appreciation of coordinators and business counselors on the benefits of the effective utilization of IP system and skills necessary in the delivery of IP services (trademarks, patents, copyrights) to motivate micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to modernize their operations through IP registration.

The 2016 Business Name Registration (BNR) System showed that DTI VI ranked fifth with 20,024 new business name registration among the 17 regions in the country. The figure represents the potential market the IPOPHL, through the IPSOs, can explore.

IPOPHL IP Field Operations Unit Head Aty. Leny B. Raz led the formulation of an action plan of NCs on IP for MSMEs, IPFOU Area Manager Engr. Eric C. Paden gave an overview of the IP System, IPFOU Asst. Area Manager Marlo Q. Carag discussed the concepts and application processes, while IPSO-Iloilo Field Operations Specialist Marianne T. Bebit talked about the eTMFile/ eUMFile/ eIDFile.

DTI VI OIC-Regional Director Rebecca M. Rascon, on the other hand, encouraged the coordinators and business counselors to include in their targets the profiling of MSMEs in their respective areas of coverage.

Representatives from the Bureau of Internal Revenue also shared its programs and thrusts relative to the implementation of the Barangay Micro Business Enterprises (BMBE) -- a business enterprise engaged in production, processing, or manufacturing of products, including agro-processing, as well as trading and services, with total assets of not more than P3 million.

As of March 10, 2017, there are already 32 NCs in the region with the inclusion of the recently opened NC Makato in Aklan Province. DTI Aklan Provincial Office launched its sixth NC in the province on March 8, 2017.