Motorcycle firms join fight vs counterfeiting

MANILA, Philippines — The Motorcycle Development Program Participants Association Inc. (MDPPA) has joined the campaign to fight counterfeit products online by signing the e-commerce memorandum of understanding (MOU) convened by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL).

In a statement yesterday, IPOPHL deputy director general Nathaniel Arevalo said the MDPPA’s move to join the MOU as a signatory is crucial in ensuring public safety, especially now that motorcycles have become “a way of life” for passengers that want affordable transportation options and for drivers that need to earn income.

Citing data from the Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department, IPOPHL said motorcycles had the highest increase among all vehicle types traversing Metro Manila in the past decade to 1.6 million in 2023 from only 443,340 in 2013, driven by the rise of e-commerce deliveries and motorcycle taxis-for-hire.

“With more motorcycle users, counterfeiters have found an opportunity to sell counterfeit parts that could cause accidents and counterfeit accessories that fail to cushion the impact of crashes and falls,” Arevalo said.

MDPPA president Alexander Cumpas, who also serves as Kawasaki Motors (Phils.) Corp. senior manager, expressed the group’s commitment to promote road safety.

He also emphasized the need for government agencies, industries and e-commerce platforms to work together to address the risk counterfeit motor parts and accessories pose to public safety.

MDPPA has previously partnered with IPOPHL through a memorandum of agreement on IP awareness activities signed in 2011 and renewed in 2022.

By joining the e-commerce MOU, MDPPA will be able to work with a larger network of companies, platforms and industry associations.

Established in 1973, the MDPPA groups motorcycle firms Honda Philippines Inc., Kawasaki, Suzuki Philippines Inc. and Yamaha Motor Philippines Inc.