IPOPHL, garments trade group partner vs counterfeiting

The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) said it has partnered with the Confederation of Wearables Exporters of the Philippines (Conwep) to fight the illicit trade of clothes counterfeiting, setting up a cooperation framework between the two parties.

The IPOPHL said on Tuesday that its director general, Rowel Barba, signed a memorandum of understanding with Conwep president Lawrence de los Santos last Feb. 13.

It said that the agreement would  ensure the protection of the intellectual property (IP) rights of Conwep members and will aim to adequately address trademark infringement and counterfeiting issues.

“If left unchecked, counterfeit apparel and footwear products may pose grave danger to the health and safety of consumers. It may also negatively affect brands, which have built their reputation on the high quality of their products and their compliance with legally set safety standards,” Barba said in a statement.

“Moreover, counterfeit apparel and footwear products are often made under labor-abusive conditions which both IPOPHL and Conwep do not tolerate,” he said further.

For his part, De los Santos said: “We are pleased to collaborate with IPOPHL on our common interest to assist industries in the global community to protect IP, a factor that can influence how global customers perceive brands.”

Under the initial work plan prepared by IPOPHL under the agreement, the implementation of the agreement will conduct projects on stakeholder consultation, information sharing and capacity building.

Earlier this month, the Greenhills Shopping Center in San Juan City was included under the piracy and counterfeiting watchlist of the United States government.