Building Dreams, Shaping Cities: WORLDBEX 2024 Celebrates Filipino Builders Drawn to Ascendancy

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The World of Building and Construction Expo (WORLDBEX) returns for its 27th edition, this time soaring to new heights under the theme "Drawn to Ascendancy." From March 14-17, 2024, at TWO MEGA venues the SMX Convention Center Manila, and World Trade Center Metro Manila. WORLDBEX 2024 is set to transform into a global hub for innovation, showcasing cutting-edge technology and celebrating the Filipino builders shaping the future of cities across the globe.

This year's WORLDBEX takes center stage as a platform to empower and acknowledge the remarkable talent of Filipino construction professionals. The theme "Drawn to Ascendancy" embodies the unwavering spirit and ambition - driving Filipino builders to reach new heights, both in their careers and in shaping the skylines of the nation.

We pay homage to local and international builders who thrive to embrace change and adapt to the modern building and design landscape. They serve as the backbone of our nation's progress that continues to signify the dynamic opportunities across the industry. From Architectural experts and Engineering professionals to Landscape artists and Design connoisseurs, their skills, dedication, and ingenuity are evident in every towering edifice and resilient structure across the country today. WORLDBEX 2024 is our way of celebrating their achievements and providing them with the tools and knowledge to propel them even further.

The four-day event will bring together over --- exhibitors from the Philippines and across the world, showcasing the latest advancements in construction technologies, materials, and design. From eco-friendly building solutions to smart building automation and AI-powered construction tools, WORLDBEX 2024 will be a feast for the eyes and a playground for sustainable innovation.

WORLDBEX 2024 is not just an expo; it's a catalyst for the nation's building and design industry to ascend to new heights. Join us as we celebrate the builders who are not just building dreams, but shaping the cities of tomorrow.

WORLDBEX 2024 is organized by Worldbex Services International.

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“No patent, no right”: UP lawyer highlights scientists’ need to protect inventions

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In the ’90s, Dr. Neila Cortes-Maramba of UP Manila led a team of scientists investigating ten medicinal plants in the Philippines. Two of these plants exhibited promising results—one for cough and the other for urinary tract infections. The team patented Vitex negundo (Lagundi) and Blumea balsamifera (Sambong) in syrup and tablet forms, granting them exclusive rights to these medicines.

Today, Lagundi and Sambong are essential remedies for coughs and UTIs, proving lucrative for the pharmaceutical industry. Had they not applied for a patent, UP Manila and its partners would not have earned more than 50 million pesos in remittances through royalties and licensing fees, nor would they have been able to claim the invention as their own and would leave it vulnerable to idea theft.

If inventions and creations are not patented, “it belongs now to the public domain where anyone can reproduce or manufacture it,” Atty. Josephine R. Santiago of the UP Diliman College of Law said at the 7th session of the iStories webinar, hosted by the University of the Philippines – Diliman College of Science. Atty. Santiago is an award-winning intellectual property (IP) expert who served as the Director General of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL).

Failing to patent inventions exposes them to the public domain, allowing anyone to reproduce or manufacture them. (Photo credit: Eunice Jean Patron)

A patent, as a form of IP, provides the inventor exclusive rights to their creations. “The right of a patentee is only to prevent third persons from manufacturing, offering for sale, using, selling, or importing the invention,” Atty. Santiago explained. “It is not to make the invention, but to prevent others.” She added that, when multiple inventors unknowingly created the same invention, the first to file the patent secures the rights to it.

UP Diliman has successfully patented various inventions, such as CoaTiN, a coating technology that uses titanium nitride to extend the lifespan of metallic tools, developed by Dr. Henry Ramos of the National Institute of Physics (NIP), and an amebiasis detection kit that quickly identifies the disease using saliva, invented by Dr. Windell Rivera, Dr. Angeline Odelia Concepcion, and Dr. Alexander Edward Dy of the Institute of Biology (IB).

Patents not only benefit inventors but also stimulate innovation and improve existing products. Applying for patents requires detailed explanations of how the invention works. This information becomes publicly available upon patent approval, allowing other inventors to draw inspiration from or enhance the patented work.

Atty. Santiago also touched upon the other three types of IP: trademarks, which protect identifying symbols and expressions; copyright which grants rights from the moment of creation; and trade secrets, which safeguards valuable confidential information.

She will also discuss harnessing IP for innovation in another iStories session.

By: Harvey L. Sapigao

iStories is a series of monthly innovation-themed talks, storytelling, and activities featuring local and international scientists. The initiative aims to ignite the creativity and inventiveness of young scientists not just from UPD-CS but also from other institutes inside and outside of UP.

Taytay passes landmark ordinance to protect children's health

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 Taytay Councilors partner with law group ImagineLaw to advance a policy measure that protects children in the municipality from harmful food advertisements. Ordinance No. 2307-036 or ‘An Ordinance to Protect Children from the Harmful Impacts of Food and Beverage Marketing passed the final reading on January 17.

The local government of Taytay, Rizal yesterday passed an ordinance that restricts child-targeted marketing of ultra-processed food and beverages within the municipality, in a bid to protect children from obesity and other diet-related health risks.

Ordinance No. 2307-036 or An Ordinance to Protect Children from the Harmful Impacts of Food and Beverage Marketing’, introduced by Councilor John Tobit Cruz, prohibits advertisements of food high in fat, salt, or sugar, in child-centered settings such as school zones, playgrounds, parks, and family mall areas.

"This is a win for children’s health,” said Tobit Cruz during the final reading of the ordinance. “We commit to creating an environment where our children can grow up healthy and easily pursue healthy eating habits, starting with this policy,” Cruz added.

Exposure of children to advertisements featuring ultra-processed food is linked to the increased consumption of such foods and associated risks of obesity, according to a study by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

“We laud Taytay for being the first municipality to advance this landmark health policy. This measure aligns with the broader national and global efforts to combat childhood obesity and promote healthier lifestyles among children,” said Atty. Sophia San Luis, Executive Director of ImagineLaw, the local government’s partner in drafting the ordinance.

One in every seven Filipino school-aged children is obese or overweight, according to a 2021 study of the Department of Science and Technology Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI).


“We hope that this policy serves as a model for other municipalities and cities seeking to protect the health of their children,” she added.


Local task force to end harmful food and beverage marketing to children

To enforce the ordinance, a local task force of Taytay government officials will be formed to focus on monitoring food and beverage advertisements within the municipality, and assisting establishments to comply with the new regulations.

Violators of the ordinance will face a fine of PhP 2,500.00 and will be required to take down advertisements that violate the regulations.

The task force will also lead efforts to assist the community to promote healthier food choices among children and families.

“Taytayeños can anticipate more proactive and sustainable programs that prioritize children’s health through this policy win,” Coun. Cruz added.