Manila, Philippines – September, 2024 — The ongoing battle against counterfeit products in the Philippines has reached new heights, with recent operations in August by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) seizing up to P5.5 million worth of fake goods across Metro Manila and Rizal. As the country grapples with a growing flood of counterfeit items—ranging from luxury brands to essential goods—the launch of a new non-profit organization, Brand Verification, couldn’t be more timely.
Brand Verification, established by a coalition of brand owners, manufacturers, and legal experts, aims to protect both consumers and legitimate businesses from the dangers of counterfeit products. The organization’s launch comes on the heels of record-breaking seizures in 2023, where over ₱26 billion worth of counterfeit goods were confiscated nationwide. Many of these counterfeit items, often sold on online platforms, pose serious health and safety risks, from substandard beauty products that cause skin damage to fake medicines that jeopardize lives.
Brand owners, frustrated by the proliferation of fake versions of their products, decided to act — leading to the creation of Brand Verification. “We came together because counterfeiters were affecting almost every product we made,” said a spokesperson for Brand Verification. “Our goal is simple: to protect consumers and ensure that they are purchasing legitimate, safe products.
” Brand Verification: How It Works Brand Verif.