P8.2 billion fake goods seized in 2017

MANILA, Philippines — Some P8.2 billion worth of counterfeit and pirated goods were seized by various agencies under the National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights (NCIPR) in 2017, the biggest haul by the government since 2014, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) said.

IPOPHL said the Bureau of Customs emerged as the agency with the largest value seized, reporting more than P5.8 billion in fake goods seized last year.

The value of counterfeit goods seized in 2017 was nearly 26 percent higher than the previous year’s record, IPOPHL reported.

“The value of fake goods confiscated by the government fluctuates every year and it depends on the class of goods and the market value of the original goods in the formal economy,” IPOPHL director general Josephine Santiago said.

According to NCIPR data, the top counterfeit products seized last year were electronics, optical media, and pharmaceutical and personal care products.

“As this reflects the growing market demand for electronic goods and products involving public health and safety, we warn the public to be wary of counterfeiters exploiting this high demand. This alarming development underscores the need for the various relevant agencies of government and the intellectual property rights owners to address this serious concern. The IPOPHL, for its part, continues to intensify its campaign against the selling and buying of these counterfeit products,” Santiago said.

In 2016, enforcement data showed a different trend, in which jewelry  and watches were the top counterfeited commodities seized, followed by cigarettes  and alcohol.

The year before that, watches and jewelry were still at the top spot, followed by optical media, then hand bags and wallets.

IPOPHL said the seizure of counterfeit and pirated items 2017 which amounted to P8.2 billion was a result of the relentless enforcement efforts of the NCIPR members.

The government pursues intellectual property rights violations and cases through the multi-agency task force, the NCIPR, which has the IPOPHL as its vice chair.