As the Philippine digital economy continues to grow, protecting intellectual property (IP) has become increasingly important to sustaining business confidence. Valued at P2.74 trillion and contributing nearly 10 percent of the national GDP, the digital economy continues to create new opportunities for businesses, with e-commerce accounting for over 32 percent of the sector and supporting over 75 percent of digital economy jobs.
Against this backdrop, Shopee Philippines recently held its Brand Protection Bootcamp, bringing together representatives from the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), brand owners, and industry partners to share practical approaches to protecting IP in today’s digital marketplace.
The bootcamp combined practical demonstrations with discussions on emerging IP challenges in e-commerce. Participants received a walkthrough of Shopee’s Brand Portal, a self-service platform that enables rights holders to report suspected IP infringements through a structured process, and joined a panel discussion on how businesses, platforms, and government each contribute to strengthening trust across the e-commerce environment.
In a keynote speech, IPOPHL Deputy Director General for Policy, Legal Affairs and External Relations Nathaniel Arevalo emphasized that effective IP protection and enforcement must move from a whole-of-government to a whole-of-society approach. “When businesses know their brands and innovations can be protected, they are more willing to invest, expand, and bring new ideas to market. This requires both a strong government policy framework for IP protection and rights holders who actively use available mechanisms to safeguard their IP, strengthen consumer trust, and protect their competitive edge,” explained Arevalo.
Meanwhile, for many brand owners, protecting intellectual property extends beyond addressing suspected counterfeit listings. It is about safeguarding the years of investment, innovation, and trust they have built with customers.
“Building a brand takes years of hard work, investment, and constant improvement. Seeing someone copy your products is frustrating because they’re benefiting from work they never had to do,” said Atty. Kristian Nico C. Acosta, Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel of Cosmic Technologies, Inc. (CTI) Group, which operates the Pure Living brand. “Every product and every customer matters. Having practical tools to help protect our brand gives us peace of mind and allows us to focus on improving our products and serving our customers,” he added.
The bootcamp reflects Shopee’s broader efforts to strengthen trust within the e-commerce landscape by equipping rights holders with practical tools while reinforcing platform safeguards. Alongside resources such as the Brand Portal, Shopee continues to enhance proactive detection capabilities, strengthen seller accountability measures, and work closely with brands, industry partners, and government agencies to address IP infringement.
These efforts build on Shopee’s longstanding collaboration with IPOPHL through the E-Commerce Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which Shopee joined as one of the original signatories in 2021. Since then, Shopee has participated in annual reviews, shared best practices with fellow signatories, and worked alongside government agencies and brand owners to strengthen online IP protection and support the MOU’s implementation.
“E-commerce is no longer just a sales channel. It is where brands are discovered, customer relationships are built, and business reputations are earned,” said Jack Ng, Head of Commercial, Shopee Philippines. “As more businesses establish an online presence, protecting their IP becomes increasingly important. Through initiatives like the Brand Protection Bootcamp and our continued collaboration with our government partners, we want to equip businesses with practical knowledge and tools to better protect what they have worked hard to build.”
Shopee will continue working with IPOPHL, brand owners, and industry partners to strengthen IP protection and foster a trusted digital marketplace where legitimate businesses of all sizes can continue to grow.
