Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio has presented the country’s rapid growth of e-commerce and cross-border intellectual property protection strategies at the Intellectual Property Rights Conference in Hong Kong.
In his presentation, Rubio highlighted the BOC’s initiatives in managing e-commerce and safeguarding the intellectual property of legitimate businesses. He said these efforts include intensified risk profiling, close monitoring of new e-commerce traffic patterns, and innovative strategies shared within the intelligence and enforcement units.
Such initiatives have resulted in the seizure of counterfeit products valued at P65.2 billion or $1.1 billion between 2019 and 2023.
In bid to strengthen regional security measures and combat transnational criminal activities, Rubio also engaged in a bilateral meeting with his counterparts from Hong Kong Customs led by Commissioner Louise Ho Pui-shan.
The meeting aimed to enhance bilateral collaboration on two critical fronts, anti-illegal drug investigations and protection of intellectual property rights.
The meeting focused on the proactive engagement of both countries in the World Customs Organization Asia Pacific Operations.
This initiative seeks to counter the proliferation of illegal drugs and disrupt illicit operations conducted by drug syndicates within their respective territories.
Rubio gave assurance that the BOC and Hong Kong Customs will continue to strengthen collective endeavors in safeguarding the interests and welfare of their citizens, while also advancing regional security and stability.
The commissioner earlier commended the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service assigned at the Manila International Container Port (CIIS-MICP) for their remarkable achievement in 2023 when they made 268 seizures of counterfeit products, including cigarettes, apparel, bags, shoes, and accessories worth more than P25.3 billion.