The Bureau of Customs has destroyed imported counterfeit goods it seized worth P58 million in Camp Crame, Quezon City, as part of the agency’s continuing drive against smuggled fake products.
An additional P32.2 million worth of goods confiscated by other government agencies brought the total destroyed items to P80.2 million.
About P7 million of DVDs came from the Optical Media Board, and P1 million worth of fake pharmaceutical products were hauled by the Food and Drug Administration, among others.
Three heavy equipment vehicles from the Department of Public Works and Highways were used to crush the counterfeit goods such as signature bags, luggage, soaps, lotions, cutting blades, seasoning mix, and pirated DVDs of local and foreign films at the PNP grandstand.
The goods were turned over to the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines for destruction.
The fake items were seized after anti-smuggling operations conducted in a mall in Binondo, Manila and a warehouse in Baclaran, Pasay City.
The BOC also raided another shopping mall in Binondo, where approximately P4 billion worth of counterfeit goods, composed mostly of high-value bags and wrist watches, were seized.
Last month, numerous soaps, lotions and shampoos amounting to P6 million were seized in a warehouse in Baclaran, Pasay City.
The BOC recently raided several warehouses in Quezon City and Manila, taking P7 million worth of counterfeit goods.
The destruction of the fake goods were witnessed by Philippine National Police Officer-in-Charge Lt. Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa and IPOPHIL Deputy Director General Teodoro C. Pascua, who also sits as vice chairman of the National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights.
The BOC said it will continue to monitor and confiscate fake goods, as it intensified its drive against smuggling with the holiday season nearing.
Pascua said counterfeiters and pirates have aggressively utilized technology, digital platforms, and online intermediaries to sell counterfeit products and flourish its enterprises.
“The Internet has created enormous opportunities for companies to promote and market their brands to consumers. However, its global reach, openness, and largely unregulated character have also created an avenue for the trade and distribution of fake products,” said Pascua, who is also undersecretary of the Department of Trade and Industry.
“A strategy that will integrate human and technological resources of the government, the private sector, and other key players, is vital to effectively combat the proliferation of counterfeiting and piracy given the increasing sophistication and methods employed in selling counterfeit products such as the use of IT, internet and electronic platforms,” Pascua added.
Pascua said the significant increase of seizures of counterfeit goods in the Philippines is attributable to the persistent efforts, commitment, and cooperation of the NCIPR member agencies.
“Coordination and collaboration as a primary and central strategy among NCIPR member agencies promote combination and unification of ideas, solutions, actions, and resources, and enhances efficiency in the delivery of NCIPR’s programs and activities,” he said.
From January to July this year, NCIPR prevented counterfeit goods with an approximate value of P13.73 billion before selling to the consumers
Based on the partially validated data of P1.83 billion, the majority of the fake items were cigarettes and alcohol products.
Pascua aims to effectively combat the proliferation of counterfeit and pirated goods giving the increasing of methods employed in selling them distributing them through Internet and electronic platforms.
“It is good that we destroy not only counterfeit products but also to apprehend the criminals behind the creation of fake products that are detrimental to our progress and destroy our youth,” the acting police chief said in his speech at the 2nd ceremonial destruction of counterfeit goods this year.
Gamboa said that from 2016 up to September this year, the PNP has resolved illegal activities of piracy and seized counterfeit products amounting to more than P7 billion.
“The PNP is in full support to the NCIPR and IPOPHL as we are in consonance with our mission to deliver high-quality services to promote innovation and encourage , creation and utilization protection of and respect for intellectual property this is shown in PNP accomplishment in the implementation of intellectual property laws 2016 to September this year,” the PNP OIC said.
“We are in consonance with our mission to deliver high-quality services to promote innovation and encourage, creation and utilization protection of and respect for intellectual property,” he added. With PNA