The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD) with the Technology Application and Promotion Institute (DOST-TAPI) implements a two-year project to help DOST-PCAARRD funded technology transfer initiatives prepare Freedom to Operate (FTO).
Dubbed as “Support to the Preparation of Freedom to Operate (FTO) in the Technology Transfer Activities of PCAARRD-funded Projects”, the first year of the project ran from October 2016 to September 2017 with an extension until March 2018.
Out of the targeted fourteen DOST-PCAARRD funded technologies, forty-two were aided one step closer to commercialization by subjecting to the Freedom to Operate (FTO) services and obtaining FTO reports.
As of 2017, the project has reached 314.28% of its annual target.
Four more are currently going through the FTO services and is expected finish by early 2018.
Aside from providing researchers with assistance in obtaining FTO analyses, the project also paved the way to capacitate 25 researchers and technology transfer officers (TTOs) from different State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), Research and Development Institutes (RDIs) and government councils and offices on May 4-5, 2017 at B-Hotel Alabang, Muntinlupa through a training-workshop.
Ms. Teresita O. De Vera, FTO Project Leader said that the enactment of Republic Act No. 10055 or the “Philippine Technology Transfer Act of 2009”, has intensified the efforts in ushering local inventions and researches to commercialization, most especially those that were funded by the government.
“An FTO is a crucial part to the commercialization of these inventions and researches. It will secure them from risks associated with potential infringement of commercial products that are already out in the market”, De Vera added.
The FTO reports of the respective researchers and institutions will be awarded in January 2018.
by: Engr. Maria Teresa Andrea B. Vargas