Anti-counterfeiting activities planned for rest of Philippines

THE National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights (NCIPR) said it will expand its activities to the rest of the country soon in order to address what it considers to be the proliferation of counterfeit goods.

According to the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), which is one of the 15 members of the NCIPR, the next target area will be Baguio.

IPOPHL Deputy Director General Teodoro C. Pascua said in a virtual press conference on Monday that planned activities in Baguio include inspections and possible raids of establishments selling counterfeit items.

“We are going out. We are reaching out to the other outskirts. We are focusing on Metro Manila first because this is the center (of counterfeiting),” he added.

IPOPHL has announced that the NCIPR seized P24.9 billion worth of counterfeit goods in 2021, against P9.8 billion in 2020.

Mr. Pascua noted that sellers of counterfeits have taken advantage of ease-of-doing-business rules.

“Our desire to facilitate business sometimes is also being abused by these counterfeiters,” Mr. Pascua said, without elaborating.

Mr. Pascua disclosed that the National Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant in Greenhills Shopping Center in San Juan on Monday, while the Bureau of Customs conducted a raid in an unspecified location.

Greenhills Shopping Center was listed among the 35 physical markets known for counterfeiting and piracy in the 2021 Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy issued by the US Trade Representative.

The report found that sellers of counterfeit goods in the mall are growing bolder in displaying the items compared to previously, when they were more discreet. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave