MANILA — The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) is seeking stronger collaboration with local government units (LGUs) to intensify efforts against counterfeiting, particularly in enforcement and public education.

In a report, IPOPHL Director General Teodoro Pascua said the partnership is expected to be reinforced with the Department of the Interior and Local Government, which is part of the National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights.

“We want to work with the LGUs so that they can be at the center of not only enforcement but also education,” Pascua told reporters after the 2026 Gawad Yamang Isip Awards held in Pasay City on Friday night.

Pascua acknowledged that the agency cannot fully address illegal trade on its own due to manpower limitations compared to the wide number of municipalities nationwide.

“IPOPHL alone cannot run after illegal activities because of manpower shortage, compared to thousands of municipalities nationwide,” he said.

He added that the agency is also looking to help LGUs better understand how illicit businesses may evade existing regulations.

“We will find ways to strengthen that, but not only in the anti-counterfeiting enforcement effort but on the education side,” he said.

He admitted the task would be challenging but said early cooperation with local governments would already mark significant progress.

“That’s a tall order, I know. But the moment we start working with them, I think we’ve done already half of the things that need to be done,” Pascua said.

The IPOPHL earlier reported that it seized P472.61 million worth of counterfeit goods in the first quarter of the year through coordination with the Philippine National Police.

Last year, the agency confiscated a total of P29.97 billion worth of counterfeit products.