DOrSU bags IPOPHL Platinum Award for the third time
For three consecutive years, Davao Oriental State University (DOrSU) has secured the Platinum Award from the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL). Its third award was conferred during the ITSO Presidents’ Summit on March 25, 2026, in Iloilo City, and was received by Dr. Roy G. Ponce, University President, together with Dr. Venson B. Sarita, Director for Innovation, and Meljine Sarita-Solsoloy.
This milestone marks DOrSU’s sustained performance in the national ITSO network. In 2024, the university received its first Platinum Award and was among the 17 higher education institutions granted Platinum status. A year later, DOrSU received its second Platinum Award and a Special Citation Award for filing more than 10 patent applications.
The Platinum Award is conferred under IPOPHL’s Innovation and Technology Support Office (ITSO) 2.0 Clustering Scheme, which recognizes top-performing ITSOs that have advanced from IP awareness and patent support work to stronger patent filing and commercialization outcomes. Under IPOPHL’s framework, Platinum-level ITSOs are those with more than six invention patent applications and at least one successfully commercialized technology, or those that have provided assistance toward successful commercialization.
This latest recognition affirms DOrSU’s growing stature as an institution that not only produces research, but also transforms knowledge into protected intellectual assets and innovation outputs with real-world value. The award reflects the University’s steady progress in building an ecosystem where research, invention, and technology transfer are actively supported and strategically pursued.
At the center of this accomplishment is the University’s Intellectual Property and Technology Business Management (IP-TBM) Office, which continues to serve at the forefront of DOrSU’s innovation and intellectual property initiatives. Through its leadership in patent search, IP protection, technology management, and commercialization support, the IP-TBM Office has played a crucial role in helping cultivate an institutional culture that values creativity, research translation, and the protection of homegrown innovations. IPOPHL’s ITSO program itself is designed to help institutions strengthen capacities in IP creation, IP protection, and IP utilization, including patent search, patent drafting, IP management, and commercialization support.
DOrSU’s continued presence among top-performing ITSOs points to its sustained work in intellectual property management and innovation. As the University sustains its momentum, this third straight Platinum Award stands as a testament to the dedication of its researchers, inventors, and the IP-TBM Office in pushing DOrSU further as a research-driven and innovation-oriented state university.
