Aimed to enhance the understanding of intellectual property (IP) among its academic community and increase the volume of registered technologies to the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), Biliran Province State University hosted the 6th Specification and Claim Drafting Seminar-Writeshop from October 28 to 30 at the University Hyflex Audio and Visual Center (HAVC). 

This three-day event was designed to enhance the knowledge of faculty researchers and students regarding the specification and claim drafting process while equipping them with practical skills to draft claims related to their innovations, discoveries, and inventions. 

Furthermore, the seminar aimed to facilitate the submission of these intellectual property claims, thereby reinforcing the university's policy of strengthening research and innovation.

In his message, BiPSU President Dr. Victor C. Canezo, Jr. emphasized the importance of the seminar-writeshop, noting that it plays a vital role in empowering the university community to engage effectively with intellectual property issues and contribute to the institution’s innovation efforts. 

“We aim to empower our participants to protect their creative works, which is crucial for advancing our university’s mission,” he said. “By giving them the knowledge and skills to understand intellectual property, we help them confidently navigate its complexities, ensuring their contributions are recognized and valued within our community.”

The said seminar-writeshop featured two resource speakers: Engr. Eric C. Paden, area manager of IPO-Visayas at the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, and Engr. Romeo Jason Padulla, who is in charge of the Tacloban Satellite Office of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines.

Meanwhile, Raffy D. Vere, a third-year hospitality management student who attended the seminar, expressed her gratitude for the opportunity and thanked everyone involved in organizing the event.

 “I am incredibly thankful for this event. It has given me further knowledge about intellectual property that I can use in my research,” she said. “With these new learnings, I feel more confident in my ability to contribute to the university’s innovation efforts.”

The event was attended by the Innovation Office (IO) team, faculty members, and SCOUT-qualified students. 

It is also worth noting that BiPSU has two pioneering entries in the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) Socially Relevant Technology Project, both spearheaded by faculty member Eric John D. Celis. The first entry, Coffee InSight, is an AI-driven solution that utilizes image processing and machine learning to diagnose diseases in coffee plants, supporting more accurate and timely interventions. The second innovation, SMART Cacao Helper, is an advanced app employing Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) for real-time disease detection and breed classification in cacao farming which empower farmers by optimizing crop productivity and improving disease management in cacao production.

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[This article aligns with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure and SDG 2: Zero Hunger]