The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), in cooperation with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) with support from the Funds-In-Trust Japan Industrial Property Global, organized the WIPO TISC Regional Meeting for Strengthening the ASEAN TISC Network (ATN) in Manila, Philippines from February 3 to 6, 2026.
Left to right: Ms. Mary Grace Yap (WIPO external expert), Mr. Alex Riechel (Head, TISC Development Section, Technology and Innovation Support Division, IP and Innovation Ecosystems Sector, WIPO), Mr. Nathaniel S. Arevalo (Acting Director General, Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines), Mr. Ralph Jarvis Alindogan (Director, Documentation, Information and Technology Transfer Bureau, IPOPHL) and Mr. Motohiro Nishio (IP Attaché of Japan Patent Office for S.E. Asia, Director, Intellectual Property Department, Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Singapore Office) for Funds-In-Trust Japan Industrial Property Global
The meeting was attended by 23 participants, including representatives of TISCs from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Viet Nam. To discuss plans for developing the ASEAN TISC network within the framework of the ASEAN IP Rights Action Plan, the ATN Task Force convened a related meeting between sessions, chaired by IPOPHL Deputy Director General Ann Claire Cabochan with the virtual participation of the ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC).
Updates on WIPO TISC Program
WIPO's TISC Development Section Head, Mr. Alex Riechel, reported on the sustained growth of the global TISC community, which now numbers over 1,700 centers across 94 national networks, serving more than 2.25 million inquiries in 2024 alone. Mr. Riechel also launched a new tiered (Preparatory, Standard, and Accelerator) TISC Support Package scheme designed to match WIPO support to the maturity level and needs of each national network, complemented by the rollout of the TISC Project and Performance Management Platform (TPPM) to strengthen accountability and track outcomes.
WIPO Consultant, Ms. Mary Grace Yap, reported on the successful global launch of the TISC Staff Foundation Certification course, which produced 161 certified graduates from 28 TISC networks worldwide. ASEAN networks were well represented, with graduates from Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Viet Nam.
National TISC Network Developments
TISC focal point representatives from across the region shared highlights, accomplishments, and challenges from the 2025 operational year, along with their capacity-building needs and plans going forward. Plenary discussions surfaced a rich exchange of best practices and practical insights, reflecting the diverse development stages across the region.
Participants also undertook exposure visits to three model TISC host institutions in Manila, namely: the De La Salle University, Adamson University, and the University of the Philippines Manila, whose creation stories, operational models, and success cases offered replicable lessons for the region.
Representatives of the ASEAN TISC Network at De La Salle University grounds, one of three model TISCs in the Philippines who welcomed the participants for sharing of TISC management experiences and best practices.
Strengthening the ASEAN TISC Network
The meeting was held in a deliberate sequence with the ATN Task Force meeting, enabling closer alignment between ASEAN-led priorities and WIPO support activities. The ASEC representative reviewed outcomes of the first ATN Meeting held in Siem Reap, Cambodia in 2025, the ATN Terms of Reference, and the forthcoming ASEAN IPR Action Plan (AIPRAP) 2026–2030, grounding the discussions in the broader ASEAN institutional framework.
Thereafter, through facilitated workshops, ASEAN delegates paired with representatives from mature Philippine TISC institutions co-developed three flagship regional project concepts addressing the ATN's priority areas: a Capacity Building Framework for standardized training and certification; an Enhanced ASEAN IP Marketplace as a regional knowledge and matchmaking platform; and an IP Valuation Capability Development Program to enable commercialization and IP-backed financing.
A key collective insight from the process was the recognition that the ATN's current priority areas are framed as activities rather than strategic objectives, prompting a recommendation to reframe them into results-oriented goals aligned with the AIPRAP 2026–2030.
Representatives of the ASEAN TISC Network working in groups for a Project Proposal Workshop tackling the priority areas in the region.
WIPO and its partners will continue to explore opportunities for collaboration in support of the ATN's evolving agenda, with the shared goal of building a coherent, impact-oriented innovation ecosystem across the ASEAN powered by the region’s network of Technology and Innovation Support Centers.