The value of counterfeit and pirated goods seized by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) reached P18 billion as of September 2025, a 47.15-percent drop from the P35.2 billion recorded in the same period in 2024.
IPOPHL acting director-general Nathaniel Arevalo said in a statement the comparison is against a “record high” base set last year, which makes the 2025 figures appear smaller.
Arevalo cautioned that seizure values alone are “not conclusive” indicators of the true incidence of counterfeiting.
He said the decline could not be attributed to a slowdown in enforcement or to leadership changes within the agency or its partner organizations. Consistent with previous years, apparel, which includes clothing, bags, shoes and other wearables remains the biggest contributor to the haul.
Arevalo said during a Nov. 21, 2025 meeting with the National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights (NCIPR) that seizures typically rise in the last quarter as holiday shopping boosts the circulation of counterfeit items.
“There are more people out buying, and the chances of counterfeit items coming out also increase,” he said.
“We have to look at reported violations and counterfeiting incidents. If we only base it on seizures, it looks like there was more activity last year, both in value and volume. But we need another point of reference,” said Arevalo.
The IPOPHL conducts business inspections independently or jointly with other agencies, particularly the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), which leads consumer protection and substandard goods monitoring. IPOPHL joins when intellectual property rights are involved.
Arevalo also acknowledged continued reports of counterfeit medicines, particularly from local government units. He noted that reports of fake anti-rabies vaccines have been flagged as a priority by both the NCIPR and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Last week’s National Anti-Counterfeiting Week highlighted concerns over the proliferation of fake pharmaceutical products, including falsified anti-rabies medicine, which poses direct risks to public health.
The NCIPR is crafting a five-year action plan to address counterfeit medicines and other high-risk products, combining enforcement with preventive strategies. Among the measures being studied are proposed amendments to procurement laws to ensure only legitimate suppliers, especially those engaged with regional offices and local government units, are accredited.
