Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio was welcomed as a distinguished speaker at the prestigious Asias Security Conference Exhibition in Singapore on 26 July 2023. During his insightful speech and presentation, Commissioner Rubio discussed the BOC’s unwavering commitment in combating counterfeiting, safeguarding trademarks, and protecting brands in the Philippines.

The Commissioner is joined by Director Verne Enciso of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service, Chief Paul Oliver Pacunayen of the Intellectual Property Rights Division, and Ms. Denise Asantor of the Office of the Commissioner.

Celebrating recent achievements in the field of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) protection, Commissioner Rubio proudly shared that the Philippines has maintained a clean record for ten years in the United States Trade Representative’s (USTR) Special 301 Report. Furthermore, the Philippines was recently delisted from the priority watch list of the European Union (EU) for the first time in the “Report on the Protection and Enforcement of IPR in Third Countries.”

To combat the importation and exportation of counterfeit goods, the BOC has been relentless in its pursuit of IPR violators. Commissioner Rubio highlighted the BOC’s Five-Point Priority Program, which includes protecting the borders from illicit activities while promoting lawful trade and economic prosperity.

Sharing crucial data on seizures of counterfeit products from January 01 to July 14, 2023, Commissioner Rubio revealed that the BOC had seized a staggering Php21.3 Billion or USD387.2 Million worth of counterfeit goods in 219 operations. The BOC’s Intelligence Group played a crucial role in developing strong partnerships with law enforcement agencies, trade owners, and stakeholders to achieve these significant results.

While celebrating these accomplishments, Commissioner Rubio acknowledged the challenges ahead. Two major challenges discussed were the expeditious facilitation of trade through brand certification/verification by brand owners and the emergence of e-commerce as a contributor to counterfeiting. He urged e-commerce platforms to tighten their policies to monitor retailers and prohibited products being sold on their platforms.

Commissioner Rubio expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the opportunity to share the BOC’s initiatives at the Asias Security Conference Exhibition. He emphasized that collaboration and cooperation among nations and stakeholders are vital in the fight against counterfeiting and the protection of Intellectual Property Rights. Commissioner Rubio reiterated the BOC’s dedication to upholding the rule of law and safeguarding the interests of the Philippine nation, pledging to continue their efforts in securing borders and ensuring a safe environment for legitimate trade and economic growth.#