Intellectual property filings hit record-high in 2025 — IPOPHL

Intellectual property (IP) applications in the country hit a record-high in 2025 on the back of increased recognition of IP-rights as key to boost competitiveness, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) said Tuesday.

At a press conference for the IP month kickoff in Taguig City, IPOPHL Acting Director General Nathaniel Arevalo said total filings for patents, trademarks, utility models and industrial designs reached 53,231 in 2025, up 2.0% from 52,257 in 2024.

“People are learning to better protect, manage and extract value from their IP assets. Enhanced IP capabilities are enabling this shift from creation to commercialization, ultimately creating jobs, growing enterprises and driving higher-value economic activity,” Arevalo said.

“The new record in IP filings reflects a growing recognition of IP protection as a key strategy for competitiveness in a fast-paced digital economy. The sustained rise in applications, particularly in innovation-driven categories, points to accelerating innovation and a stronger appreciation of the need to protect IP assets,” the IPOPHL chief added.

For her part, IPOHL Deputy Director General Ann Claire Cabochan said the agency is targeting a 5% increase in IP filings this year as she highlighted the agency’s efforts towards IP awareness.

Broken down, trademark filings accounted for the lion’s share of the total IP applications reaching 44,308 in 2025, albeit lower by 0.5% year-on-year amid a decrease by 0.8% in resident applications to 26,229 and decline in non-resident filings by 0.2% to 18,079.

The marginally lower trademark filings last year reflected the cautious business environment as seen in the slower-than-expected 4.4% gross domestic product (GDP) growth in 2025.

Pharmaceuticals led trademark filings at 6,444 or 9.2%; followed by advertising, business management and office functions at 5,981 or 8.6% and scientific and technological apparatus and instruments at 5,384 or 7.7%.

The decline in trademark filings was offset by the expansions in patent, utility models, industrial designs, and copyright applications.

Patent filings stood at 4,486, up 8.3% year-on-year with non-resident applications comprising the majority at 3,479, up 4.3%, while resident filings totaled 1,007, up 25.1%.

By field of technology, pharmaceuticals led with 794 applications or 24.9%, followed by digital communication with 433 or 13.6%, and biotechnology at 170 or 5.3%.

Applications for utility models likewise grew to 1,918 driven by resident applications at 1,848, up 20.4%, while non-resident filings totaled 70, up 25.0%.

Food chemistry dominated with 243 filings or 51.5%, followed by basic materials chemistry at 29 or 6.1%, and electrical machinery at 19 or 4.0%.

Meanwhile, IP filings for industrial designs reached 2,576, up 30.2% with resident filings increasing 46.4% to 1,587 and non-resident filings growing 10.5% to 989.

The top categories were means of transport or hoisting with 377 or 19.2%, packages and containers for the transport or handling of goods at 219 or 3.9%, and recording and communication equipment at 134 or 6.8%.

Moreover, deposits for copyrighted works expanded by 2.8% to 6,736 on the back of stronger awareness of IPOPHL’s copyright registration services and the importance of registration.

Broken down, copyright deposits for books, pamphlets, articles, e-books, audiobooks, comics, novels and other writings dominated with 4,918 deposits or 73%.

This was followed by computer programs, software, games and applications with 664 or 9.9% and musical compositions with 286 or 4.2%. — BAP, GMA News