Greenhills mall still lone PH establishment in US counterfeit list

The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has kept Greenhills Shopping Center, a popular mall in Metro Manila, on its watchlist for markets tagged for counterfeiting and piracy.

In its 2024 Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy, the USTR listed Greenhills Shopping Center in San Juan City as among the physical markets that "continue to enable substantial trade in counterfeit and pirated goods."

Greenhills Shopping Center is the lone Philippine physical market cited in the 2024 report.

It has also been included in the 2022 and 2023 versions of the USTR's notorious markets for counterfeiting watchlists.

Despite Greenhills mall's inclusion in the list, the US agency cited efforts by the government and mall management to shed its reputation as a counterfeit hub.

"Law enforcement authorities, in collaboration with right holders, have conducted raids at the mall, and the management at Greenhills Shopping Center has applied a three-strikes rule to take action against counterfeit sellers," the USTR said in its report.

"The government, through the National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights, has worked with right holders and shopping center management on implementing a transition program to transform Greenhills Shopping Center into a high-end mall with legitimate sellers," the report read.

The USTR also cited both law enforcement and mall management efforts at re-zoning the mall and shifting sellers to local products through incentives and premium locations in the mall.

"Right holders have welcomed the opportunity to collaborate with government authorities and Greenhills Shopping Center management to remove counterfeit sellers," the US agency said.

However, the USTR said the mall remains popular on social media as a destination for buying fake goods and that right holders are reporting high volumes of counterfeit items in "secret storerooms."

"Right holders continue to wait and see if the transition program will result in addressing the volume of counterfeit goods," it said.

GMA News Online has reached out to Greenhills Shopping Center management, but no response has been received as of posting time. Similar efforts were also made to Greenhills Shopping Center through its online Facebook Messenger account and listed phone numbers.

In a separate statement, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) said that the USTR highlighted the National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights (NCIPR) for its record-breaking seizure of counterfeit goods.

The IPOPHL serves as vice chair in the NCIPR.

From January to September 2024, the NCIPR recorded $617.8 million worth of counterfeit goods seized from ports of entry, physical markets, and warehouses, surpassing the $471.4 million value in 2023.

The record was enlisted as a positive country development in the fight against counterfeiting for its indication of enhanced enforcement and coordination with stakeholders, according to IPOPHL.

"This development reflects IPOPHL's dedication to curb counterfeiting and our increased collaboration with rights holders to ensure action," said IPOPHL officer-in-charge Nathaniel Arevalo. — VDV, GMA Integrated News