ABSTRACT
Nanotechnology is the synthesis, manipulation, design, and application of a functional system or material at nanoscale. It draws on multiple disciplines and has a wide variety of applications from agriculture, food safety, and biosensors, to biomedical diagnostics. In fact, in 2008 alone, global investment in nanotechnology R&D reached USD 10 billion. The Philippines has also launched its nanotechnology research initiative, the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Advanced Science and Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCASTRD) has the following sectors asits priority – semiconductor, information technology, energy, agriculture, medicine, and environmental protection.In the area of agriculture, notable products developed in the strengthened nanotechnology programs of the University of the Philippines Los Baños include: (1) nanosilica-based fertilizer that increases germination and growth rate of tomatoes;(2) fruitect® coating technology which boosts the shelf life of high value fruits such as mango and papaya; and (3) nanoencapsulated plant growth regulators which enhance germination and root development of coffee, banana, and cassava. The growing number of new nanotechnology products in the country is surprisingly unsupported by low patent applications. However, due to the sheer number of potential applications and an overall increase in funding for nanotechnology R&D, there is a projected surge of patent applications. The United Statesalone had tripled patent applications on nanotechnology-derived products in 2014. Moreover, due to its interdisciplinary nature and an overall lack of distinction between nanotech and traditional patents, there is a tendency for overlapping IP claims. There is a need to revise local IP laws to accommodate advances in nanotechnology research. The World Health Organization and the World Intellectual Property Organization are taking the first step to revise the guidelines concerning products developed through nanotechnology. This chapter presents the status of nanotechnology research and potential in the Philippines, the commercially available nanotech products, and the nanotechnology R&D plan of the Philippine government.
