PH stays off US piracy blacklist for 13th year
The Philippines has again avoided inclusion in the United States’ piracy and counterfeiting watch lists, as Washington instead cited the country among those adopting “best practices” in intellectual property (IP) protection and enforcement.
This marked the 13th straight year the Philippines was excluded from the Special 301 Report, released on Friday by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), which identified 26 trading partners with significant IP enforcement concerns.
This list is separate from the USTR’s annual “notorious markets” list, where the Philippines—particularly the Greenhills Shopping Center in San Juan—remains cited in the 2025 edition.
In the Special 301 Report, however, the Philippines was highlighted for recent enforcement gains.
The USTR pointed to the rollout of a dedicated e-Commerce Bureau under the Department of Trade and Industry, which aims to tighten oversight of online transactions, including the sale of counterfeit goods.
It also noted efforts to formalize coordination between the bureau and the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (Ipophl).
Separately, the report cited Ipophl’s initiatives to strengthen enforcement and public awareness against counterfeiting, including a national judicial colloquium on IP adjudication and the “Pirated Inferno” antipiracy campaign.
“Although these best practices are positive examples of IP protection and enforcement, the adoption of best practices in some areas is not an indicator that a country provides adequate levels of IP protection and enforcement in all areas,” the USTR said.
The report also cited the Philippines among countries that have adopted laws and enforcement measures against unauthorized camcording in theaters, alongside Canada, Japan, Peru and Ukraine.
Despite the recognition, the USTR flagged lingering concerns in the Philippines.
It noted that the Philippines remains a source of counterfeit medicines globally, citing a 2020 study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
It also raised concerns over slow trademark opposition and cancellation proceedings, alongside similar issues in India, Malaysia, Pakistan, Belarus and Panama.
Vietnam was tagged as a “priority foreign country” in the 2026 Special 301 Report, the most severe classification, marking the first such designation in 13 years due to persistent failures in curbing piracy and counterfeiting.
Meanwhile, the priority watch list includes Chile, China, India, Indonesia, Russia and Venezuela, while the countries on watch list include Algeria, Argentina, Barbados, Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador and Egypt.
