SLSU Concludes INVENT 2026, Highlights Role of IP in Innovation and Commercialization
Southern Leyte State University (SLSU) successfully concludes INVENT 2026 (Innovation, NaVigating Excellence, and Nurturing Transformations) this April 29 via Zoom, as part of its observance of National Intellectual Property Month. The virtual event gathers faculty, students, and staff to explore how intellectual property (IP) drives economic growth and creates value across sectors, alongside the announcement of results from recently held writing competitions centered on innovation and IP.
Organized by the Office of the Vice President for Research, Innovation, Publication, and Extension (RIPE), the program is moderated by Mr. Emmanuel Cabanig and opens with remarks from Dr. Francis Ann R. Sy, Vice President for RIPE. Dr. Sy highlights SLSU’s achievement as a four-time Platinum awardee of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), recognizing the university’s strong portfolio of registered innovations. She also underscores the encouraging participation in the writing competitions, noting that these initiatives aim to engage both faculty and students in research and innovation activities while contributing to a growing body of publishable work.
The event features Dr. Ramil Uy, Provincial Director of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in Southern Leyte, as the resource speaker. In his talk, Dr. Uy discusses the importance of technology commercialization, the range of opportunities available for innovators through DOST, and the challenges that continue to hinder commercialization efforts in the Philippines. He introduces key programs under the Technology Application and Promotion Institute (DOST-TAPI), including I-TECH, which provides innovators access to a zero-interest loan facility in partnership with Land Bank of the Philippines, and TECHNICOM, which offers grants to support technology refinement toward market readiness.
Dr. Uy emphasizes that innovation should extend beyond research publication and IP protection, encouraging institutions to adopt comprehensive inventory systems for intellectual assets to support business planning and valuation. He stresses that IP should be leveraged not only for certification but as a strategic business tool, and commends SLSU’s efforts in IP management, including licensing, sponsorship, and partnership-building. He concludes with a key message for researchers and innovators to remain problem-driven and market-aligned in their work.
Ms. Rio Katrina Avila, Head of the Innovation and Technology Support Office (ITSO), shares her reflections on the event, highlighting the role of DOST as a vital partner for state universities in advancing innovation. She notes that transforming ideas into tangible outputs is a continuous process and emphasizes the importance of the writing competitions in expressing innovation through creative formats, as well as in promoting the protection of intellectual works alongside their creation.
The program concludes with the highly anticipated announcement of the INVENT 2026 writing competition winners. In the Essay Competition, Jiesyl M. Mamites takes the prize in the Student category for the piece titled The Weight of Nothing. Frances Nicole S. Espinosa claims the Faculty division for the work Molecular Containers, Patent Walls: Cyclodextrin Encapsulation as Enabling Technology and the IP Barriers It Creates.
The focus then shifts to the Poetry Competition, where Patrick Monter takes the spot for the Student entry, Mga Bugtong ng Makatang Hari. In the Faculty bracket, Lorelei J. Paloma earns the win for the poem SIYA. Rounding out the awards, Dr. Adel Grace P. Gaudicos receives the prize for Letter to the Editor (Faculty) with her piece, Addressing the Research and Promotion Stagnation of High-Ranked Faculty Without Publications in Rural Philippine SUCs.