De La Salle University Intellectual Property Office (DIPO) is a university-based organization that aims to be the leading advocate and excellent provider of intellectual property (IP), knowledge and technology transfer services in Southeast Asia to benefit society for the common good.
In 2008, DLSU was among the first private universities in the Philippines to establish an Intellectual Property (IP) Office, and to draft and implement a set of comprehensive policies on Intellectual Property (IP). DLSU has also set the record for being the first university to set up the Intellectual Property Advocates (IPA), a student organization that promotes within its ranks greater awareness, advocacies, initiatives and respect for IP. The IPO Philippines currently known now as Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHIL) former Director General Ricardo R. Blancaflor complimented DLSU on these achievements and expressed hope that other schools, colleges, and universities would replicate DLSU’s IP initiatives.
The need to formalize DLSU’s IP practices in a document was deemed important in 2004 when the first IP Policy for DLSU came into being. In 2006, the Office of the Associate Director for Intellectual Property (AIPO) was established with the mandate to “develop an intellectual property strategy for La Salle”, and “assist faculty and students in filing for protection of intellectual property”. The AIPO was envisioned, among others, “to educate the academic Community on the important role of IP protection in securing inventions, facilitating technology transfer, and encouraging inventors to disclose their work”. The AIPO was under the once of the Vice-Chancellor for Research (VCR).
In 2008, the AIP0 was reorganized into the DLSU Intellectual Property Office (DIPO) still under the Office of the VCR. Then, in AY 2011-2012, the DIPO was placed under the Office of the Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Learning. The move further strengthened its capability to fulfill its mandate. It was tasked to review and refine the initial set of policies to make it more comprehensive and enable the university to better promote and encourage creativity, excellence, and innovation in research and other scholarly endeavors.
To better reflect the interests of the members of the academic community, especially among the faculty and students, the policies underwent another round of revisions in 2009.
In 2010, the DIPO also formulated the corresponding set of implementing rules and regulations (IRR) on IP and thus made a new round of revisions on the previous IP policies. Both the revised set of policies and the IRR were approved by the Vice Chancellor for Academics and Research (VCAR) Council in the same year. The policies include a definition of key IP terms, coverage and ownership of IP, and functions of the DIPO and IP offenses.
From 2011 to present, DIPO has been actively participating in regional, national and international conferences on various topics on intellectual property. One of the major event of DIPO in collaboration with DLSU Technology and Innovation Office (DITO) and Animo Labs is this annual event called DLSU Innovation and Technology Fair (DITECH) which aims to showcase various technologies and inventions developed by faculty, staff and students of La Salle schools. It also provides discussions and talks by respective speakers and experts in various fields of industry, academe and government about science, innovation and technology. Aside from DITECH, DIPO also provide seminars on different topics such as Patents, Patent Search and Basic Intellectual Property to students and faculty in various colleges in the University with the help DLSU Intellectual Property Advocates (DLSU-IPA).
For many years DIPO is actively making various initiatives and programs to protect the creations of its students, faculty and members of the community. This is in line with the office’s mission of providing support for the creation and development of innovative and creative products that would contribute in improving the lives of the community and taking part in a sustainable society. When it comes to trademarks which is one of the most well-known kind of IP across the globe, the university have already 20 registered trademarks starting 2014 up to present. These Trademarks are being used as official logos, tagline and for various events and advocacies by the university. Furthermore, there are also a number of trademark applications filed by DIPO to the IPOPHIL that are on the process of its registration and examination.
By 2016, DIPO was issued by IPOPHIL its very first patented invention of De La Salle University entitled “ A Biodegradable Filter using Coconut derived activated Carbon and Citridical” by Dr. Susan M. Gallardo and Dr. James Patrick Albucencia. There are many more patent applications filed by the office to IPOPHIL that is under examination and process.
Currently, the DLSU Intellectual Property Office (DIPO) is placed under the Vice Chancellor of Research and Innovation (VCRI) and is headed by Atty. Christopher E. Cruz, the DIPO Manager in cooperation with respective and knowledgeable experts in the field of science, law, engineering and Intellectual Property.
MissionTo support the creation and development of innovative and creative products and services that would help improve the lives of the community and the society attuned to a sustainable Earth, especially the poor and marginalized.