The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) to prevent the transport of intellectual property (IP) infringing goods and to raise awareness on the prohibition of traveling with counterfeit items.
Rowel Barba, IPOPHL director-general said the MOU of measures to thwart the importation, exportation and sale of such goods through and at the airport, without adding tedious processes and requirements that burden travelers.
Under Section 118 of the Republic Act 10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariffication Act (CMTA) of 2016, IP infringing goods as defined by Republic Act 8293 or the IP Code are prohibited from being imported and exported. Any person who violates the CMTA could face penalties of P100,000 to P300,000 and/or imprisonment of 31 days to one year.
At present, the warning of bringing in IP infringing goods is only part of various declaration forms at the entry points of the airport.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Customs on February 28 raided a storage facility in Binondo, Manila, containing various counterfeit branded bags, shoes, and other products. Some of the infringed trademarks are Nike, Coach, Adidas, Guess, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Gucci, among others.
