No let-up vs piracy during Christmas

The inter-agency National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights or NCIPR will intensify its operation against counterfeit products, especially during the Christmas season.

After the NCIPR high-level meeting in Pasay City, Police Colonel Bernardo Lao of the Philippine National Police Anti-Organized Crime Unit maintained that crackdown on fake products is a whole year-round operation, in collaboration with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, the Department of Justice, among other members of the NCIPR.

"During the Holidays, some makers of counterfeit goods also stepped up their operations as this is the time that customers have their money to spend. We must act double-time to catch those selling these products," he said.

Justice Undersecretary Jesse Andres said the Department of Justice and the IPOPHL had signed a memorandum of agreement to intensify efforts toward prosecution and law enforcement on copyright infringement.

"The DoJ has also released a memorandum circular for the proactive coordination of law enforcement agents and other related agencies to gather evidence to build up solid cases against copyright infringers," he said.

Last year, the NCIPR, which the IPOPHL leads as acting chairperson, recorded its biggest seizure of counterfeit goods in its 13 years, amounting to P24.9 billion, surpassing the P23.6-billion worth of counterfeit goods in 2018.

Buy local, not fake goods

IPOPHL Deputy Director General for Operations Ann Claire Cabochan urged citizens to buy local rather than fake products as gifts for their loved ones this Christmas.

"When you patronize counterfeit goods, you are actually stealing. Let's buy Filipino-made instead because when we patronize our own, we also spread the economic benefits to our nation. The multiplier effect is always seven-fold when we grow our own enterprises," she said.