In the interest of the service, the Department of Agriculture adopts the following policy on the Protection of Intellectual Properties of the Department;

 

"As the government agency tasked to provide a policy environment conducive to achieving the goals of food security and sustainability of the agriculture and fishery sectors, the Department of Agriculture encourages technological innovations, creations, and inventions by DA bureaus, agencies, corporations and other offices and/or their personnel.

 

As a public institution serving public interest, DA-owned technologies, creations, and inventions when granted rights under existing Intellectual property regimes, shall be made available for public use, consistent with the Department's mandate to transfer and disseminate approved technologies, except for a valid reason that would prevent such use. In all cases, public access to DA Intellectual property rights are subject to the rights of Innovators, creators and inventors."

 

A DA Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Policy and Management Committee shall then be created to help institutionalize said policy and shall be headed by the Undersecretary for Policy and Planning. Said Committee shall make recommendations on the protection and technology transfer of DA Intellectual properties, for the Secretary of Agriculture's concurrence. The Committee is also tasked to organize the DA IPR Program and to provide legal and technical advice to all DA units on IPR protection.

 

This Administrative Order shall take effect immediately.

Adopted: 20 Jan. 2005

(SGD.) ARTHUR C. YAP
Secretary