Aside from encouraging Eastern Visayan inventors to get creative through inventions and innovations, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Region 8 underscored the importance of protecting their creations through intellectual property rights.
“Protect your products first before you sell them,” advised Dr. Edgar Garcia, DOST’s Technology Application and Promotion Institute director, to inventors and student researchers who participated in the first ever Regional Invention Contest and Exhibits (RICE) at the Robinson’s Place in Tacloban City August 22-25.
Protecting inventions, said Garcia, means applying for patent or intellectual property right of an inventor’s creation or product. Securing a patent protects the inventor from duplication of the product and entitles him or her royalties when the product is sold or commercialized.
The RICE 8 has the theme “Imbensyon at Inobasyon: Kabalikat sa Pag-unlad.” Twenty-two entries from local inventors and students vie it out for the Outstanding Invention or Tuklas Award; Outstanding Utility Model or Likha Award; and Outstanding Student Creative Research or Sibol Award for high school and college students. Prototypes and researches, open for viewing at the venue, will be presented formally by their respective inventors on Aug. 24 at the Stefanie Smokehouse (across Robinson’s Place). Awarding ceremonies will be on Aug. 25 at Robinson’s Place.
To further encourage students to develop their creativity and ingenuity, DOST 8 will also hold a Patent Drafting Training-Workshop Aug. 23-25 at the EVSU Graduate School Function Room.
“Inventions and innovations are marks of a country’s competitiveness,” Garcia said. “This can be gauged through the number of patent applications filed.”
A high level of competitiveness beckons investment and development, driving a country towards progress.
“If you find a market for your product, DOST-TAPI will support you,” Garcia said, encouraging the participating inventors and students to apply for patent through TAPI.
Dir. Edgar Garcia of DOST-Technology Application and Promotion Institute with Ms. Bernardita Valenzuela, representative of Tacloban City Councilor Cristina Gonzales Romualdez, cut the ceremonial ribbon to open the exhibit at the DOST’s Regional Invention Contest and Exhibit at the Robinson’s Place in Tacloban City August 22-25. With them are DOST Region 8 Director Edgar Esperancilla (rightmost) and Intellectual Property Office Director General Allan Gepty (leftmost). (Framelia V. Anonas, S&T Media Service)
TAPI, DOST 8’s partner in organizing the RICE, is the DOST’s lead agency in promoting the commercialization of technologies, including inventions.
Meanwhile, Director General Allan Gepty of the Intellectual Property Office – Philippines commended the RICE for being an avenue for “telling the world of the ingenuity of people in Region 8.”
The RICE is a support initiative of the DOST through TAPI and DOST regional offices for Republic Act 7459, also known as the National Inventors and Inventions Incentives Act of the Philippines. One of the provisions of the law, as implemented by DOST-TAPI, is the selection and granting of cash rewards to outstanding inventions.
For more information on the RICE, pls call DOST 8 Regional Director Edgardo Eperancilla at (053) 323-6356 or 323-6036. (Framelia V. Anonas, S&T Media Service)
