The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) has partnered with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to expand the use of a global creator identification system aimed at improving the visibility and protection of Filipino artists in international markets.
Under a memorandum of agreement signed in Makati on April 17, the DTI will work with IPOPHL to facilitate registration under the International Standard Name Identifier (ISNI) system, alongside copyright registration for eligible creatives and their works.
The initiative, which will run for six months, targets the issuance of more than 5,700 ISNI numbers and copyright registration certificates free of charge.
IPOPHL, an official ISNI registration agency, will also conduct training sessions and awareness campaigns to help artists and industry stakeholders understand the system.
ISNI assigns creators — including authors, musicians, visual artists, photographers, and journalists — a unique 16-digit identifier that helps track authorship and rights across platforms and markets.
The system is designed to improve attribution, streamline royalty payments, and reduce cases of misidentification, particularly in digital environments.
Deputy director general Nathaniel S. Arevalo said the rollout comes as more Filipino creatives enter global and digital markets.
“In recognizing that creative industries are key drivers of an economy, it is imperative we mobilize support of Philippine creatives in fostering a more sustainable, inclusive and dynamic creative economy,” he said.
Deputy director general Ann Claire Credo-Cabochan said the collaboration with DTI “will undoubtedly help to strengthen copyright registration processes, while fostering greater awareness and a deeper appreciation of intellectual property rights among creators.”
The ISNI system is already integrated into major platforms such as Apple Music, Amazon, Meta Platforms, and YouTube, as well as in publishing and library systems worldwide. It currently covers more than 16.5 million public identities.
DTI assistant secretary Nylah Rizza Bautista said the system could strengthen recognition and intellectual property protection for Filipino creators.
“Behind every product, every design, every brand, there is a Filipino who took a risk, who invested time, talent, and heart into their work. And that deserves not just recognition, but ownership,” she said.
Paolo Federico A. Ramos of the Philippine Creative Industries Development Council Secretariat described the project as “an investment in the dignity of Filipino creativity.”
The initiative forms part of the “Wanna Make It Right with ISNI and Copyright Project” under DTI’s Malikhaing Pinoy program. It is anchored on Republic Act No. 11904, which mandates the protection of intellectual property rights in the country’s creative sector, and aligns with the government’s broader development and creative industry plans.
