Another Filipino, Atty. Pablo Gancayco, is set to lead the prestigious Asian Patent Attorneys Association (APAA), the second Filipino to hold the highest position.
Gancayco was elected as APAA’s next president during the 21st General Assembly and the 77th/78th Council meeting held from November 6 to 10, 2025 at the KLCC convention center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The APAA is a non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting and enhancing intellectual property (IP) protection in the Asian region.
APAA was established in December 1969, and membership is open to individuals practicing the profession of patent attorney in the Asian region as well as organizations that comprise such individuals and are constituted in the Asian region.
The association now has more than 2,500 members from 21 recognized groups in Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as from Bhutan, Brunei, Laos and Mongolia.
Some of APAA’s activities include exchanging information and views concerning IP protection.
The term ‘intellectual property rights’ consists of (a) copyright and related rights; (b) trademarks and service marks; (c) geographic indications; (d) industrial designs; (e) patents; (f) layout-designs (topographies) of integrated circuits; and (g) protection of undisclosed information.
IP laws lay down the remedies available to the IP owner in case of a violation of his rights through administrative, civil and criminal sanctions against violators.
The IP laws aim to protect and secure the exclusive rights of scientists, inventors, artists and other gifted citizens to their intellectual property and creations, particularly when beneficial to the people, for such periods as provided in the law. Nobody else can copy or reuse that creation without the owner’s permission.
Atty. Gancayco was Director, Past Chairman, and Past President of the Intellectual Property Association of the Philippines (IPAP), which was founded on March 31, 1977 with the aim of professionalizing the steadily growing practice of IP law in the Philippines.
IPAP is the sole Philippine national group recognized by the APAA, the Asean Intellectual Property Association, and the Association Internationale pour la Protection dela Propriete Industrielle.
IPAP’s founding member, Atty. Alonzo Ancheta, was the 2006-2009 president of APAA, the first Filipino to hold this position.
The Philippines, through IPAP, hosted the APAA council meetings in 1990 (Manila Hotel), 2000 (Cebu), 2011 (Shangri-La Makati) and 2024 ( SMX Conrad Manila).
Atty. Gancayco is the Senior Partner of Gancayco, Balasbas and Associates Law Offices.
He earned his A.B. Political Science (1978) and Bachelor of Laws (1983) degrees from the University of the Philippines, and later pursued an Intensive Course on Industrial Property in Europe at Université Robert Schuman in Strasbourg, France, in 1998. He is married to Atty. Dot Gancayco, and they have two siblings.
He is a dedicated member of the APAA for over 35 years. He currently serves as its Vice President and Council Member since 2012, and he previously served as Senior Vice President, Executive Committee Member, and Advisory Committee Member.
‘It was the APAA which captured my heart. APAA became family. APAA was home. APAA became my core as an IP lawyer. As a demonstration of my passion and my love for the organization, I have never missed a single APAA conference, ever since the year 1990. That’s 35 years of unwavering loyalty to APAA,’ Gancayco said during the 78th Council meeting.
Gancayco outlined his program of action, which include: amendments, revisions and legislation of statutes, regulations and basic rules; reform the electoral processes; special focus on the development of membership in the smaller recognized groups; develop a truly effective and efficient mentorship program; enhance the learning benefits in the programs and outreach activities; strengthen the inter-organizational relations of APAA with other IP organizations; ensure effective communication; mandate clear guidelines and transparency for country choices for the annual conferences; and improve the networking opportunities and facilities.
‘I will be your outstanding, benevolent and listening president,’ Gancayco said. His term will coincide with the celebration of APAA’s 60th Anniversary in 2029.