MANILA -- Counterfeit cigarettes and related paraphernalia made up the bulk of goods seized by law enforcement agencies in the first quarter of the year, according to the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL).
In a statement Wednesday, IPOPHL -- the lead agency of the National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights (NCIPR) -- said PHP5 billion of the total PHP5.3 billion worth of fake goods confiscated from January to March this year were cigarette products and equipment for cigarette-making.
IPOPHL noted that a single police operation led to the seizure of the PHP5-billion worth of fake cigarettes and cigarette production paraphernalia. It was referring to the raid conducted by the Philippine National Police (PNP) on a Bulacan factory last February.
Aside from fake cigarettes and cigarette production paraphernalia, the NCIPR confiscated PHP137-million worth of counterfeit handbags and wallets, PHP103 million of optical media, PHP55 million of footwear, and PHP25 million of other fake products, such as manufactured parts and food items.
The NCIPR is an interagency body that can enforce operation to seize fake and counterfeit goods in the local market.
“The 2018 first quarter seizure reflects a triple-digit growth from the comparable period last year and attests to IPOPHL and NCIPR’s unflagging efforts to stamp out the spread of counterfeit and pirated goods. This Q1 seizure does not even reflect yet the value seized by the Bureau of Customs, which routinely impounds a substantial amount of fake goods from the country’s gateways,” IPOPHL Director General Josephine Santiago said.
The PHP5.3-billion worth of fake goods seized in the first quarter of the year was 498 percent higher than the PHP886 million worth of products confiscated in the same period last year. “With this strong showing in enforcement of IP rights (IPR), we believe we can surpass the PHP8.2 billion in fake and counterfeit items gotten in 2017,” added Santiago.
On the other hand, IPOPHL Deputy Director General Teodoro Pascua noted that this continuous effort by the Philippine government to stem the proliferation of counterfeit goods allowed the country to stay off the watch list of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). The Philippines has managed to stay clear of the USTR's Special 301 Report, which identifies countries where IP rights violations are rampant, for five years in a row, he said.
“This substantial take in the first quarter alone indicates the aggressive drive of our enforcement partners to clamp down on proliferating fake and counterfeit goods. Government has been persistent not just in impeding entry of these goods through the ports, but (in) apprehending local manufacturers and distributors of these products,” Pascua added. (PNA)
