The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) is expanding its “Juana” suite of programs to further support women-led innovation and enterprises, as part of efforts to increase female participation in the country’s intellectual property (IP) system.
IPOPHL said the initiative builds on its existing programs that provide incentives, training, and easier access to IP protection tools for women entrepreneurs, inventors, and startups. These include trademark, patent, and design-related assistance aimed at helping women-led businesses protect and commercialize their innovations.
Among the key offerings are programs that lower the cost of securing IP rights and fast-track applications, particularly for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Earlier iterations of these initiatives, such as the Juana Patent and Juana Design Protection Incentive Program, waived certain filing and examination fees and prioritized applications to encourage more women to participate in innovation activities.
IPOPHL said the expansion is meant to address gaps in women’s access to IP protection and strengthen their role in the innovation ecosystem, recognizing their growing contribution to economic development.
“Recognizing the vital role of women innovators and entrepreneurs…,” the agency said, as it underscored the need to scale programs that enable women-led enterprises to leverage IP as a business tool.
The agency added that by extending these initiatives, it aims to help more women-led enterprises build competitive brands, protect their creations, and bring innovations to market, particularly in priority sectors identified by the government.
