Philippine Technology Transfer Law

by Delano Telan Tefora

The R. A. 10055 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” seeks to roll out to the market mature and potentially important technologies generated by government funded researches and must be seriously implemented. 

The Philippine congress finally enacted this law after three (3) years of legislative work known as the Philippine Technology Transfer Act of 2009. This is a full-fledged national statute since March 23, 2010 to serve as the blueprint for a nationally coordinated technology transfer framework of government-funded researches. The principal authors for this law are Senator Edgardo J. Angara in the Senate and Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya in the House of Representatives.

PCARRD Executive Director Patricio S. Faylon expressed elation at the time when this Act was passed into Law and described this as a feat in the PCARRD’s policy development and advocacy mandate relating to Science and Technology development. PCARRD has led the DOST Technical Working Committee in the Bill’s legislative advocacy and public awareness activities since 2006. This Act will interest the public scientists and researchers who will define and enable us to know what portion of the scientific results be made “FREE”.

This RA 10055 will be the solution to stop or minimize our Agricultural Scientists and Researchers from leaving the country. Of course our government officials and leaders must give priority in their governance’s honest to goodness concerning the appropriation of funds, to provide assistance and protection through legislation, to avoid or minimize migration  among scientific and technology professionals. It will also encourage students to pursue Research and Development studies.

In his message, Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Sec. Montejo during the PCARRD 39th anniversary said, “If we maintain our gains for the next 2 years, we will overcome our present difficulties and sustain continued development. It can be done and we can do it. All we need is the confidence to move forward”. An example for this is the promise of Congressman J.V. Ejercito to sponsor 10 scholarships in the Aklan State University to take up agricultural courses.

The government would like to see innovation coming out of the laboratories and field researches into the market noting that the Council’s Techno Mart Program provides a farmer-public sector market partnership that develops value added products for commercialization.

As a landmark of Science and Technology law, we lauded congress for taking into account S & T policies in their agenda. Recognizing PCARRD as an instrument in the success of the policy advocacy campaign, its management regarded the development as a triumph for the inter-agency policy advocacy collaboration. 

We must give credit also to former DOST Sec. Estrella F. Alabastro being her brainchild having recognized the need for a national framework that would push technology generation and application to its maximum potential through efficient and coordinated transfer capability and intellectual property rights assertions in the countryside made in the Senate Bill 3416 which is enacted into Law, R. A. 10055.

Cited is a remarkable scientific achievement for Vietnam which developed Nutritional Rice Variety with Gene Technology IR. 64, MT 1250 (indica) and Taipei 309 (japonica). This rice variety is rich in vitamin A and E and iron, zinc, and oryzanol which help reduce cholesterol in blood. It is also an insect resistant rice breed, one way to avoid chemical in put application which lessen farm expenses and preserve healthy food to eat.

In the Philippines, japonica is still on japonica line varietal field trials with some lines made to be named as foundation palay seed variety by the PHILRICE in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija. This variety is highly productive and adaptable to Philippine condition which our farmers are waiting for propagation as the answer for the global warming – climate change in response to the increasing population of our country. Everybody must think of what is environment friendly surrounding we live in. /MP