For its record-setting efforts in intellectual property rights (IPR) enforcement, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) was recognized at the Gawad Yamang Isip Awards 2025 by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL). The agency received the IP Citation for Attaining the Highest Number of Seizures in the National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights (NCIPR) in 2024.

During the 191st NCIPR Regular Meeting hosted by the BOC on 26 May 2025 to discuss the accomplishments of the NCIPR member agencies so far in the year, IPOPHL’s IPR Specialist IV, Atty. Reggie Anne D. Pamatian of the IP Enforcement Division, on behalf of IPOPHL Director General Atty. Brigitte M. Da Costa-Villaluz, formally presented the award to BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio.

This recognition aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s vision to foster an infringement-free market that is resilient, growth-oriented, and capable of inspiring greater investment and consumer trust.

In the previous year, the BOC recorded ₱34.698 billion in seizures, making it the leading contributor to the overall confiscation of IPR-infringing goods. This accounted for an impressive 85% of the total P40.99 billion seized by NCIPR.

One of the most significant operations led by the BOC in 2024 took place in Binondo, Manila, resulting in the confiscation of more than ₱11 billion worth of counterfeit goods from well-known luxury brands.

As of the end of April 2025, the BOC has recorded ₱15.8 billion worth of counterfeit goods seized in coordination with brand representatives and partner IPR enforcement agencies.

“Protecting the intellectual property rights of innovators and brand owners remains central to our overarching objective of cultivating a fair, secure, and dynamic trade environment,” said BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio. “In the coming years, we will further amplify our efforts to ensure that intellectual property rights protection remains a central element of our economic and trade policy development plan.”