The National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights, with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines as vice-chair, confiscated a record P23.6 billion worth of pirated and counterfeit goods in 2018, up by 188 percent from 2017.
The value of seized illicit items was the highest collected since IPOPHL was established in 2008.
“In terms of enforcement, 2018 has proven to be a banner year with the NCIPR, spearheaded by IPOPHL and the Trade Department, capturing record levels of counterfeit goods. Consistent with the trend we’ve seen all year, fake cigarettes and alcohol led this record haul – the formula for which we believe is the firm determination and vigilance of brand owners to pursue these counterfeiters,” said IPOPHL director general Josephine R. Santiago.
The agency noticed that illegal traders are apparently shifting to heavily-taxed goods and called for more proactive cooperation of brand owners.