By Daniel P. Tapaoan, Jr. 

Showcasing excellence in intellectual property protection, education, management and technology commercialization, Mariano Marcos State University shone in the 2022 Innovation and Technology Support Office (ITSO) cluster awards organized by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL). 

The MMSU-ITSO is one of only 17 agencies in the Philippines which bagged the platinum award for having drafted and filed at least seven invention patents and for having commercialized at least one intellectual property model. 

The award was received by MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis and University Science and Technology Park Director Dionisio Bucao during the ITSO Presidents’ Summit held on March 28 in Sequioa Hotel, Manila. 

MMSU also surpassed the gold, silver, and bronze clusters, which are also a requirement to attain the platinum award. 

Gold award is given to an ITSO which drafted and filed at least six intervention patents; silver award for those which provided 24 patent search services; and bronze award for those which provided 12 IP education services, two patent search assistance, and one patent drafting service. 

“This award only shows that our university has been successful in nurturing its innovation culture and in upholding intellectual property of our technologies,” said President Agrupis, thanking the dedication of university researchers, patentees, and the UITSO office headed by Engr. Artbellson Mamuri.
 

She also attributed the university's success in technology patenting, application, and commercialization to the Intellectual Property and Technology Business Management (IP-TBM) and the Agri-aqua Technology Business Incubator (ATBI) projects funded by the Department of Science and Technology - Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD).

In 2021, MMSU was one of only 10 state universities and colleges among 100 network members in the country which bagged the four ITSO cluster awards. 

The IPOPHL is a government agency mandated to administer and implement state policies to strengthen the country's IP rights. It is implementing and clustering a reward system for its academic partners’ network to motivate them to go beyond publishing and shift to create new products. (HLY/JVBT, StratCom)