After almost three years of legislation, the Philippine Technology Transfer Law is finally enacted into law.
Formally named Republic Act 10055, it seeks to roll out mature and potentially important technologies generated by government-funded researches to the market.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed the republic ct, otherwise known as “An Act Providing the Framework and Support System for the Ownership, Management, Use, and Commercialization of Intellectual Property Generated from Research and Development Funded by Government and for Other Purposes” or the “Philippine Technology Transfer Act of 2009” into a full fledge national statute on March 23 at the Malacañan Palace.
The new law is expected to serve as the blueprint for a nationally coordinated technology transfer framework of government-funded researches.
Speaking in PCARRD recently, Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Estrella F. Alabastro expressed optimism of the law’s merit in taking technologies to the market as well as preventing brain drain and out migration of science and technology (S&T) professionals and encouraging students to pursue research and development studies.
A key provision in the law provides for incentives to researchers by according them a share in the royalties as well as allowing them to start up their own companies.
The law was a brainchild of Sec. Alabastro, having recognized the need for a national backbone and framework that would push technology generation and application to its maximum potential through efficient and coordinated transfer capability and intellectual property assertions around the country, similar to the Bayh-Dole Act in the US.
The Secretary also lauded the President Arroyo and Congress for taking into account such needed legislation for the S&T sector.
Alabastro said that the whole science community is overwhelmed with this development.
“We are optimistic that this new law, a landmark policy on technology transfer will revolutionize the commercialization of technologies generated through researches funded by taxpayer’s money”, she said.
Alabastro explained that taking advantage of the new law would hasten the process of technology commercialization and broadens the scope of protection of intellectual property rights in government research and development institutes.
“For the longest time, we have relied mostly on breakthroughs from outside, while our local technologies generated through public funds remain untapped or archived in laboratories around the country. Hence, this is a significant break for us to roll this out to the market and be availed by the public,” she added.
Once fully in place, the new law is expected to push important technologies to be commercialized and be available to the public.
Meanwhile, PCARRD Executive Director Patricio S. Faylon, elatedly described this as a leap for the inter-agency policy advocacy collaboration. He also hailed it as a feat in the Council’s policy development and advocacy mandate relating to S&T development.
PCARRD, the central planning council of DOST in the agriculture, forestry and natural resources, led the Department’s efforts in the Bill’s legislative advocacy and public awareness activities since 2006. The technical and financial support given by the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of the Philippines, DOST Planning and Evaluation Service, and DOST councils and institutes were also instrumental in the advocacy of the law.
Currently, DOST and IPO are preparing the basis for the Act’s implementing rules and regulation.