In an effort to not only protect intellectual property (IP) but also foster Lasallian creativity, the 12th DLSU Innovation and Technology Fair (DITECH) 2025 was held from April 2 to 4 at the Verdure, Henry Sy Sr. Hall. Embracing the theme “Haraya: The Symphony of Creativity and Intellectual Property,” the three-day event celebrated art as a foundation of identity, a pillar of economy, and a force for innovation.
Symphony of innovations
Atty. Brigitte da Costa-Villaluz, director general of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), kicked off the first day of the fair with a keynote speech about Domestic Efforts to Protect the Creative Industries in the Contemporary Landscape. While the IPOPHL is mandated to preserve the IP rights of Filipino creators and artists, she emphasized through her address the pressing need to raise public awareness about its importance.
Adding to this are the certain challenges that compromise IP protection, including online piracy and copyright infringement. In response to this, da Costa-Villaluz shared initiatives of the agency, including the Copyright Caravan, Patent Cooperation Treaty Filing Assistance Program, and Innovation and Technology Support Office Program.
Bolstering the creative industries aligns with the country’s goal to become “Asia’s premier creative hub” by 2030. To achieve this, Department of Trade and Industry Bureau of Competitive Development Director Jo-Dann Darong introduced the BEAMS framework, which seeks to build creative ecosystems, empower the creative workforce, accelerate inclusive innovation, mobilize financing support, and seize market opportunities.
The afternoon session opened with a plenary talk on Keeping the Music Alive: Copyright and the Modern Music Ecosystem spearheaded by Atty. Exequiel Valerio, assistant chief of the Accreditation and Standards Division at the IPOPHL Bureau of Copyright and Related Rights. He enlightened the audience on the roles of IP in the context of the music industry.
From the creation of the gramophone to the development of music streaming sites, innovations in music production have prompted regular revisions to IP laws. Valerio dissected the rights of music developers, enumerating copyright and related rights. The former is provided to composers, while the latter to producers and performers.
Moreover, Valerio presented landmark copyright cases in music and how they shape the current understanding of IP in the industry. With the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI), he echoed the six calls to action made in the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry’s Manifesto to Make Music Thrive: to recognize value, support a competitive marketplace, protect music, tackle streaming manipulation, maintain rules and introduce transparency for generative AI developers, and support rights to public performance and broadcasting.
Concluding the first day of the fair was a panel discussion on Creative Rights in the Modern World: Navigating IP for Artists and Authors. This was moderated by Benilde Center for IP Management Director Atty. Ma. Janice Tejano, joined by Atty. Valerio; Marla Rausch, president of the Creative Content Creators Association of the Philippines; Dr. John Iremil Teodoro, Department of Literature Full Professor and Director of the Bienvenido N. Santos Creative Writing Center; and Atty. Christopher Cruz, the University’s Legal Counsel and director of both the DLSU Intellectual Property Office and Innovation and Technology Office (DITO).
The panelists first tackled how their respective sectors responded to the rise of AI. Cruz admitted that his office “does not have the answers yet” to the extent of permissible AI use among students, even if attributed as their source. Despite initial resistance to it, Valerio revealed that IPOPHIL eventually learned to embrace AI, albeit with the need to do due diligence on cross-checking references it provided to them.
Secondly, the panelists encouraged the audience to embrace the potentials of IP for creative industries, with Rausch believing that “Filipino stories also have a space in the commercial market, not just the artistic market.” Cruz highlighted the importance of balance in IP, arguing that strictness could restrict innovation, while looser regulation could instead restrict creativity.
Painting the future of IP
The second day of the event commenced with a three-minute pitch presentation from each exhibitor, which included the Memoirs of a Prisoner of the Tagalogs, Project HOPE, and Agapay project. Memoirs of a Prisoner of the Tagalogs is a book on the rare account of a Spaniard in the Philippine revolution; Project HOPE is a reward-based waste disposal; and Agapay Project is a robot-assisted therapy device.
This was followed by a panel discussion moderated by Peter Immanuel Tenido, project director of DITO, centering on the theme Beyond the Curtain: Copyright, Performance, Rights, and the Future of the Performing Arts.
The panelists include Glorife Samodio, former director of DLSU Culture and the Arts Office; Jay Crisostomo IV, faculty member of Benilde Production Design Program; Tim Cruz, permanent sessionist of Lola Amour; and Raffy Tejada, artistic director of DLSU Harlequin Theatre Guild.
Samodio expressed that while there was already awareness of IP, understanding of its protection is lacking. The pandemic surfaced its necessity, particularly for online music productions where content is often flagged for copyright infringement. Meanwhile, Tejada and Cruz emphasized the need for royalties to respect the creative effort and economic aspect of the work.
Samodio moved on to stress that artists should be clear on the objective of their works to know the protection they need. For Tejada, there must be the need to know the extent of IP protection for actors, directors, and producers by getting a copy of a contract. Meanwhile, Crisostomo and Cruz echoed the sentiment that artists should be paid accordingly.
For the performing arts to thrive, Samodio explained that cultural institutions and creative arts programs in schools should educate students about IP and its importance in protecting their rights and promoting their works. Crisostomo adds that there should be spaces to democratize workshops and equipment that can be shared to others.
To end the discussion, the panelists shared their vision for the future of performing arts and creative rights: empowered to create, supported by the government, and protected from IP violations.
Resounding a creative future
The latter portion of the fair featured speeches and research presentations for the 6th IPOPHL-DLSU Intellectual Property and Innovation Research Conference. With only 50 selected papers for the conference from 200 research submissions, da Costa-Villaluz reassured IPOPHL’s willingness to guide researchers in their creative journeys.
Meanwhile, Dr. Raymond Girard Tan, vice president of DLSU Research and Innovation, asserted that a whole-government approach can tap into tangible innovations for establishing enterprises, creating livelihood opportunities, and raising the standard of living in the country.
A keynote message from Darong highlighted seven themes from the selected papers. He further explained that the nexus of legal frameworks, cultural heritage, education, digital platforms, and technology transfer shape the creative industry.
Darong urged to harness creative and collective wisdom, asserting that it “intentionally nurtures curiosity, consciously seeks wisdom, willfully harnesses good, and deliberately shares wisdom.” He closed his messages and the fair with a call for the creation of “a future where Filipino creativity is not just heard locally, but echoed globally.”
