The Bureau of Customs (BOC) reported Thursday that it made 268 seizures of counterfeit products in 2023—including cigarettes, apparel, and accessories—whose total assessed value reached P25.3-billion, according to Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio.
Rubio credited the success of these operations to the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Services (CIIS) of the agency. He also praised the efforts of the Intelligence Group, the mother unit of CIIS, in securing the Intellectual Property Rights of affected brands in the country.
In the past five years, BOC confiscated smuggled items reached over 45 billion pesos, according to CIIS director Verne Enciso.
In 2023 alone, members of the CIIS unit assigned at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) under field station chief Alvin Enciso seized more than P24-billion worth of counterfeit products from China.
At the recent launching of the Customs Intellectual Property Rights Summit in Manila, the BOC Intellectual Property Rights Division (IPRD) collaborated with partner government agencies and international companies to discuss IPR enforcement, Customs jurisdiction, product identification, and other infringement challenges within the domain of IP practice.
The two-day event aimed to broaden intelligence and enforcement networks, forge new alliances, and upskill field agents to protect consumers and trademark owners from the dangers of counterfeiting.
One of the speakers, lawyer Kristian Nico Acosta, head of the Legal Department of the Guess Group of Companies, talked about leveraging technology to combat cyber infringements. He discussed utilizing online databases, GPS systems, advanced cameras, and other IP certification tools.
Collaborative efforts among brand owners, law enforcement agencies, prosecution authorities, and courts were emphasized as crucial in the enforcement of intellectual property rights, especially against infringing activities online.
The program also featured sessions on counterfeit product identification, facilitated by brand representatives from esteemed businesses such as So-En, Bio-Oil, Mattel, Louis Vuitton, Nike, Unilever Philippines, Shimano, and other reputable brands.
IPRD acting chief Paul Pacunayen expressed trust in the turnout of the event and thanked the participants:
“The war against counterfeit goods may seem ambitious, but we do not doubt that the people in this room, right here, right now, are the right people to make the effort successful. We thank you again for your continued support and dedication and look forward to seeing you at future events,” he said.