WHEREAS, the 1987 Constitution provides that the State shall protect and secure the exclusive rights of scientists, inventors, artists, and other gifted citizens to their intellectual property and creations, particularly when beneficial to the people;

WHEREAS, the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Week is celebrated on t he last week of October of every year by virtue of Proclamation No. 79 (s.1992};

WHEREAS, a month-long celebration on IPR will further public appreciation of the significance of intellectual property in relation to the country's social, cultural, economic, and technological development;

WHEREAS, there is a need to transfer the aforesaid celebration from October to April of every year to align the country 's programs and activities with international celebrations, i.e., the World Intellectual Property Day on April 26 of every year and World Book and Copyright Day on April 23 of every year,

WHEREAS, Republic Act No. 8293 or the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, empowers the Intellectual Property Office ( IPO) to coordinate efforts with other government agencies and the private sector towards formulating and implementing plans and policies to strengthen the protection of IPR in the country;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby declare the month of April of every year as Intellectual Property Rights Month.

The IPO shall be the lead agency in the preparation, coordination, and implementation of the programs, projects, and activities relating to the celebration, to be assisted by the member agencies of the National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights.

I call upon other government entities and instrumentalities, including state universities and colleges and local government units, and the private sector to participate in the celebration.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I hereunder set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed.

Done in the City of Manila, this 4th of April, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Seventeen.

(SGD.) RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE

By the President:


(SGD.) SALVADOR C. MEDIALDEA
Executive Secretary