Philippines and Japan Join Forces to Tackle Counterfeit Goods

In a significant move to curb the spread of counterfeit products, the Philippines and Japan have forged a strategic partnership. This collaboration aims to enhance the detection and elimination of fake Japanese goods circulating within the Philippine market. The initiative was announced by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), highlighting the involvement of key Japanese organizations such as the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and the Japan Patent Office (JPO), along with members of the International Intellectual Property Protection Forum (IIPPF). These groups have been actively training members of the Philippine National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights (NCIPR) to bolster market surveillance and enforcement activities. The training comes at a time when Japanese companies are increasingly eyeing the Philippine market for expansion, emphasizing the need to safeguard their intellectual property rights. Representatives from various Philippine agencies, including the National Bureau of Investigation, the Philippine National Police, the Bureau of Customs, and the Food and Drug Administration, have outlined their roles in creating a strong enforcement framework. This framework is designed to reassure Japanese companies about the existing protective measures in the Philippines. During a recent event, Japanese firms such as Asian Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Kubota Corp., KYB Corporation, Mazda Motor Corp., and Seiko Epson Corp., alongside JETRO and JPO, met with IPOPHL Director General Brigitte da Costa-Villaluz. She reaffirmed the Philippine government’s commitment to enhancing intellectual property law enforcement and speeding up resolution processes. Da Costa-Villaluz also acknowledged the challenges posed by prolonged legal battles following criminal crackdowns and introduced alternative enforcement methods that could lead to quicker resolutions.