The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is anticipating more registration of Intellectual Property (IP) from regional traders following the launch of a new program on Friday.

DOST Region 10 (Northern Mindanao) Director Dr. Romela Ratilla said that with the establishment of the “Propel” program, more inventors in the region will be aided in registering their patents.

“We still have a lack of patent crafters and writers and we addressed that before through training of trainers,” she said in an interview.

Program Propel, launched in December 2024, consolidates DOST’s resources, services, and facilities into a strategic platform to empower Filipino innovators.

It will operate as a full support vehicle that encompasses the Filipino innovator from startup to the scaling-up phase, focusing on mentorship, funding, regulatory assistance, and global commercialization pathways.

“Propel is envisioned as a gateway for successful technology transfer and commercialization, propelling Filipino innovations forward to both local and global markets,” DOST Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. said last year.

The Intellectual Property Management Services is one of the 12 nodes that the program aims to streamline with its services for the region innovators.

Lawyer-professor Alizedney Ditucalan, chancellor of Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, said their institution needs full-time technology transfer officers who will assist with IP-related concerns.

He said patent registrations are essential since most of the faculty researchers have been conducting research and development on materials and equipment, of which 70 percent were funded by the DOST.

During the program’s launch in Iligan City, Solidum said the strategic shift focuses not just on the growth of science-based technology solutions for end users but also on transforming markets and creating tangible impacts both locally and globally. (PNA)