Phl ranks fifth in ASEAN vs illicit trade
The Philippines ranked fifth among 10 Southeast Asian countries in resilience against illicit trade, highlighting persistent gaps in the region’s efforts to curb the movement of counterfeit and other illegal goods, according to a new report.
The study, titled “Assessing ASEAN’s Performance on the Illicit Trade Index,” released by the Transnational Alliance to Combat Illicit Trade (TRACIT), placed the Philippines 69th among 158 countries globally.
Singapore led the regional ranking at 29th worldwide, followed by Indonesia at 39th, Thailand at 56th and Vietnam at 61st. Malaysia ranked sixth among ASEAN economies, followed by Brunei, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia.
The report said ASEAN countries collectively performed just below the global average and lagged behind regional groupings such as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the European Union, the Group of 20 and BRICS.
It identified weak regulation of supply chain intermediaries as a major vulnerability, with nine of the 10 ASEAN countries scoring poorly in this area.
While the region has made progress in customs modernization and border controls, illicit traders continue to exploit online marketplaces, social media, postal networks, express couriers, maritime operators and free trade zones to distribute or conceal illegal goods.
“ASEAN’s emergence as a global manufacturing and trading hub has not been matched with regulatory measures necessary to protect the region from illicit trade,” said Suriya Padmanaabhan, TRACIT director of programs and the report’s principal author.
The report also warned that weaknesses in one country could expose neighboring economies to illicit trade, particularly when criminal networks exploit gaps between national enforcement systems.
It cited the growing use of online platforms to market and distribute counterfeit goods, illicit medicines, illegal pesticides and other regulated products. It called for stronger seller verification, proactive screening of illegal listings and penalties, including permanent bans for repeat offenders.