Value of seized fake goods reached P27B in 2023 —IPOPHL

The value of counterfeit or intellectual property-infringing goods seized by the government hit a record high of about P27 billion in 2023, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) said Friday.

In a news release, IPOPHL said the National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights (NCIPR) booked a record haul of P26.86 billion of fake goods from January to December last year.

NCIPR is an interagency body headed by the IPOPHL that formulates and implements plans and policies, as well as strengthens the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights in the country.

The total value of counterfeit items seized last year surpassed the previous record high of P24.90 billion in 2021.

The IPOPHL said the lion’s share, or 94%, of seizures in 2023 were from the operations of the Bureau of Customs.

The remaining 6% resulted from the operations of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) with a haul worth P1.20 billion; the Philippine National Police (PNP) with a P285.93 million worth of seized items; the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with a P1.58 million value of confiscated fake goods; and the Optical Media Board (OMB) with a haul amounting to P221,500.

For his part, NCIPR acting head and IP Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) Director General Rowel Barba said that based on previous NCIPR meetings, most of the BOC’s seizures consisted of apparel, while the majority of the PNP’s haul was cigarettes taken from warehouses in various provinces.

The IPOPHL chief commended the NCIPR for helping prevent counterfeit goods from reaching the hands of consumers after recording 3,087 enforcement operations conducted in 2023, higher than 2,962 operations logged through inspections and search warrants in 2022.

The agency said the operations were mobilized through general law enforcement agency operations, inspections, search warrants, and warrants of seizure and detention.

“With more aggressive and strategic efforts, coupled with its swift coordination with the team and with IP rights holders, the NCIPR members were able to ensure the success of its seizure operations,” said Barba.

Meanwhile, Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual lauded the efforts of the NCIPR as he urged consumers to stop patronizing counterfeit goods and turn to the comfort and quality of local products instead.

“Counterfeit products do not only harm our economy but also pose serious health risks, particularly with essentials like food, medicines, and cosmetics. I appeal to consumers to turn away from these fakes and choose genuine, locally-made products, ensuring their hard-earned money brings real value and supports our community,” said Pascual.

The IPOPHL said the number of IP cases prosecuted at the courts declined to 205 from 291 in 2022.

However, it said that despite the decline in prosecuted cases, data from the Department of Justice (DOJ) shows that the conviction rate, or the share of convictions in the total cases disposed, rose to 17.07% from 7.90%. — VBL, GMA Integrated News