The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) plans to establish a dedicated intellectual property (IP) services office under an agreement with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL).
The proposed IP Nexus Office will provide IP filing services and assistance to entrepreneurs, creators, and innovators in the region.
Under a memorandum of agreement signed last week, BARMM’s Ministry of Trade, Investments, and Tourism will operate and fund the facility, while IPOPHL will provide technical assistance and staff training. The arrangement differs from IPOPHL’s satellite offices, which are operated by the agency’s field specialists.
The agreement also covers assistance in protecting the region’s cultural products, including exploring geographical indications (GIs) for traditional textiles and weaving.
These include the Inaul of Maguindanao, Langkit of Lanao del Sur, Tennun of Basilan, Tepo of Tawi-Tawi, and Monom of the Teduray people. GIs could help strengthen market recognition for these products based on their geographic origin.
IPOPHL will also help connect businesses with the region’s Innovation and Technology Support Offices, expand assistance for inventors, and provide policy development and training support.
The partnership comes as BARMM develops its Bangsamoro MSME Development Plan 2026–2030, following the creation of a council for micro, small, and medium enterprises.
“We are looking at prospects for long-term prosperity for the Bangsamoro, and this requires consistency and continuity beyond any individual intervention,” IPOPHL director general Teodoro C. Pascua said. “To reach this, we must first establish a strong base on which we can build our efforts over time.”
“More than anything, it is the communities that will benefit from this agreement,” Minister Farserina Mohammad said. “They are the guiding star of this partnership.”
