Counterfeited goods spiked in September; pirated content declining: IP office

MANILA — Reports received by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) on counterfeiting increased at the start of the so-called "ber" months this year, compared to previous months.

• NBI raids P50-M worth of counterfeit luxury goods at Greenhills

Data from the IPOPHL showed that from September 1 to September 28, it received 21 reports on counterfeit goods. This is higher compared to the monthly reports received from January to August 2023, which did not exceed 13.

The government has seized P22.5 billion worth of counterfeit goods just from January to July this year, higher than the seized counterfeit goods for the entire year last year, which was at P9.5 billion.

• IPOPHL drafts plan to address alleged counterfeiting at Greenhills Shopping Center

“Talagang ‘pag magpa-Pasko, tumataas siya. Siguro ‘yung iba namimili before tumaas ‘yung presyo ng mga items,” IPOPHL Assistant Secretary Christine Pangilinan-Canlapan said in a press conference.

"Every Christmas time nga nagmo-monitor kami ng markets… and of course ang ating IP awareness campaign, not only to the tenants, kasi supply and demand ‘yan. Kung walang bibili wala ring magbebenta… Malaki po ang nawawala talaga. Kasi ‘yang nagka-counterfeit… hindi ‘yan nagbabayad ng tamang buwis,” she added.

Canlapan noted that there is no law penalizing those who buy counterfeit goods.

“Wala kasing provision sa IP code na nagpi-penalize sa mga bumibili. Ang mayroon lang sa IP code natin, ‘yung mga nagre-reproduce, nagma-manufacture, at nagbebenta. Although with the (proposed) amendment in IP code, tinitingnan na rin namin na gawing liable also the landlords, kumbaga ‘yung malls mismo,” Canlapan said.

Reports received by IPOPHL on pirated content, meanwhile, remained at zero in September, similar to the month prior. The highest number of reports on pirated content for the year was recorded in January with 135 reports.

IPOPHL attributes this to the launching of rules on site blocking, which it expects to significantly reduce access to pirated sites.

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