DOST-TAPI eyes growth in intellectual property filings, technology adoption

The DOST-Technology Application and Promotion Institute on Friday said it aims for a 5% increase in intellectual property filings and commercialization and adoption of supported technologies this year. 

At the 39th anniversary celebration of DOST-TAPI held at the Manila Hotel, the agency said it also plans to focus on digitization, address critical skills gaps, standardize national testing mechanisms, and distribute innovation vouchers to help fund science and technology enterprises.

“[Startups] tend to apply for TAPI's assistance or services, but in the middle of the development of their innovation, they started to get lost whenever they have encountered a lot of challenges in the system. The Philippines has a lot of filing systems, but with our guidance, we can help them realize that there's a lot of opportunity in this technology, and we are also helping them streamline some processes up to commercialization,” said DOST-TAPI Technology Information and Promotion Division chief Mark Anthony Bigayan.

Bigayan also put emphasis on "people-centered" innovation.

"People-centered means it will be developed by the Filipino people, and it will also benefit the Filipino people and the nation," he said.

DOST-TAPI’s 2026 priority sectors for projects are water and waste management, medical technologies, renewable energy, climate resilience, agriculture, chemicals, electronics, ICT, construction, logistics, and advanced manufacturing, including EV supply chains. — VBL, GMA Integrated News