During the culminating event of the National Intellectual Property Month (NIPM), UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank), a pioneering force in the banking industry, received recognition from the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) for its efforts in promoting intellectual property (IP) awareness and protection.
The event, titled “2023 Gawad Yamang Isip Awards and Fashion Night: Women and IP – Accelerating Innovation and Creativity,” took place on April 26, 2023, at The Manila Hotel. It showcased the protection of Filipino textiles and fabrics through a fashion showcase. UnionBank was honored with a plaque of recognition for its partnership with IPOPHL in championing the protection of intellectual properties related to digital innovation technology. Catherine Anne Bautista-Casas, UnionBank’s Senior Vice President and Head of Blockchain and API Business Group, Metaverse Center of Excellence and Government Projects, accepted the award on behalf of the bank.
Casas expressed UnionBank’s view on IP patents, stating, “IP patents aren’t just legalities or papers on the wall for us. They represent the creative ideas of our employees and the values we have established as a bank when we decided not just to digitize, but innovate.” She emphasized that innovation goes beyond creating solutions for customers and extends to promoting societal development, inspiring other companies, and providing opportunities for people to create new things.
“As a digital innovator, IP protection is important to us. It safeguards the ideas of our hardworking employees who develop solutions that greatly benefit our customers,” shared Casas. “IP protection gives creators the credit they deserve for their societal contributions, whether it be in technology, science, engineering, or the arts.”
The 2023 Gawad Yamang Isip Awards and Fashion Night was attended by esteemed guests, including Senator Maria Imelda Josefa Remedios, “Imee” Romualdez Marcos, and Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual from the Department of Trade and Industry. The event aimed to underscore the significance of IP protection in the creative industry and highlight its role in the country’s social, cultural, economic, and technological development.
UnionBank has gained recognition for its digital banking innovations, such as selfie banking, an open-source application programming interface platform, and the country’s first fully digital and paperless banking branch, The Ark. The bank continues to introduce innovative solutions that redefine the banking experience for Filipinos. With expertise in emerging technologies like data science, artificial intelligence and machine learning, blockchain, cloud computing, and extended reality, UnionBank is establishing itself as a leader in digital banking, earning multiple awards including six-time recognition as Best Digital Bank by The Asset and others.
