With the rapid expansion of e-commerce as a significant force in economic growth and innovation, protecting intellectual property (IP) rights have emerged as a pressing challenge.

To address this issue and empower merchants and consumers in the evolving e-commerce landscape, Lazada Philippines and the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) joined forces anew to organize a session, which was part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in 2021.

The session focused on discussing strategies for merchants to leverage their IP rights and gain a competitive edge in the industry.

Lazada's Executive Vice President for Business Risk, Gordon Song, discussed several initiatives and insights that reaffirm its commitment to combating the sale of infringing goods in the online marketplace, for the benefit of both sellers and customers.

“We aim to enlighten and help rights holders and brands — whether or not they are partnered with us — in upholding their IP rights as this is crucial in protecting their business. We firmly stand by IPR protection as a core value of Lazada," Song said.

Lazada, supported by Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group, has launched a new IP Protection Platform. The platform was designed to provide comprehensive protection to intellectual property rights holders, ensuring that their property is safe and secure.

"Intellectual property is an asset to its owners. If you create intellectual property, it belongs to you — you've invested time, effort, and money into it, and thus we are driven to protect those rights. That's our fundamental belief as an online marketplace," he added.

For Atty. Christine Pangilinan-Canlapan, Assistant Director of IPOPHL’s Bureau of Legal Affairs and Supervising Director of the IP Rights Enforcement Office, stakeholders work together to provide avenues to discuss IP rights protection in online marketplaces.

“We encourage you to continue learning about intellectual property rights, leveraging the resources provided by Lazada and other trusted sources, and together we can foster a culture of innovation and respect for intellectual property that contributes to a thriving e-commerce ecosystem,” Pangilinan-Canlapan said.

The IPOPHL also encouraged brand owners to take note of Lazada's online-to-offline enforcement options, assuring their assistance when needed.

To recall, an MOU was launched in 2021 and is currently administered by IPOPHL.

It was designed to guide brand owners, online platforms, and commerce and trade organizations in their efforts to take down or request the removal of posts that infringe on IP rights.

At present, there are 35 signatories to the MOU. This year alone, Lazada is stepping up its enforcement efforts against counterfeit products by aiming for over 90 percent of takedowns to be carried out proactively.