The government has confiscated over ₱18 billion worth of counterfeit goods from January to September, a sharp 47 percent decline from the record-high seizures recorded in the same period last year.

Data from the National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights (NCIPR) showed that its member agencies seized ₱18.64 billion worth of counterfeit products in the first nine months, well below the ₱35.28 billion recorded last year.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) accounted for the lion’s share of this year’s haul with ₱17.21 billion or just over 92 percent of the total.

This was followed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), with seizures amounting to ₱980.36 million and ₱456.72 million, respectively.

There were no data provided for the NCIPR members, the Optical Media Board (OMB), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as well as the agencies’ joint operations.

IP Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), the country's anti-piracy body, said apparel and bags are among the most infringed goods this year.

As embodied under Section 155 of the IP Code, infringement is defined as the use, reproduction, or imitation of a registered trademark or its dominant feature, whether in commerce or advertising, without the owner’s consent.

Given the sharp decline in this year’s seizure value, IPOPHL Acting Director General Nathaniel Arevalo noted that these figures alone are insufficient to indicate whether the government’s efforts have weakened this year or if recent measures are beginning to pay off.

Arevalo said the actual number of reported counterfeiting cases should be considered in this regard.

Based on NCIPR data, the government has so far filed 21 cases for counterfeiting stemming from 41 complaints, compared to 12 cases filed in the same period last year, based on 16 complaints.

The PNP, meanwhile, has arrested 113 people by the end of September, up 45 percent from 78 arrests last year.

Arevalo said the NCIPR will ramp up its operations over the holidays since counterfeit goods historically surge during the period as fraudsters take advantage of the gift-giving spirit.

Still, the official hopes fewer cases will be observed this year as the agency intensifies its efforts to protect IP rights and consumers.

In 2024, NCIPR seized a record-high of ₱40.99 billion worth of counterfeit products, 52 percent higher than the ₱26.99 billion in the previous year.