USC to draft policies on intellectual property

In response to a national directive for schools to adopt strict policies protecting rights to intellectual property (IP), the University of San Carlos held a seminar on the issue, 1 August 2008, 8:30-4:00 p.m., at the Buttenbruch Hall of the Main Campus.

Atty. Andrew Michael Ong, former architecture and law faculty and a noted IP expert, was invited to speak before selected representatives of the colleges and non-teaching units directly affected by the issue.

In his opening remarks, USC President Fr. Dionisio Miranda, SVD, gave a slideshow on the moral implications of piracy, invoking the Biblical commandment against stealing.

“We have a lot of material that we have been sharing with people free of charge,” he said. “I believe we need to change the rules here a little bit.”

According to the moral theologian who has written several articles on “biopiracy,” scientists stealing traditional knowledge from indigenous communities and those patenting life-forms for profit may yet be committing “mortal sin against stewardship.”

For his part, Ong admits that the crucial lack of awareness among Filipinos on the importance of protecting their original ideas and creations has serious economic consequences.

“It is true that we are losing by default to other countries,” he said. “Our ideas are being stolen because we do not know that they are intellectual properties.”

After going over the principles and procedures of securing IP protection, Ong answered questions, particularly those concerning the University.

“The university is a very good source of intellectual property,” he said referring to the body of knowledge that students and faculty produce on a regular basis. It is therefore proper, according to Ong, that schools do its share in promoting the culture of creativity and not that of copying.

In the impromptu dialog at the close of the seminar, representatives of the different colleges aired concerns and questions to Fr. Miranda and the guest speaker on IP issues and concerns affecting their programs. These were noted for later deliberation in the drafting of the “1^st USC IP Policy.”

 

 

 

Author: Web Office
02 / August / 2008