Dear PhilMUG members,

We have noticed that gray market selling activity through the PhilMUG Boards has increased considerably these past months, to the detriment of local authorized Apple resellers. We have been told that these gray market importations and sale of Apple products do not pass legitimate import entry procedures where customs duties and taxes are properly assessed.

While these activities may have benefited many individual members (whether as buyers or sellers), it is our earnest desire to support the growth of the local Apple reseller chain and the tax collection efforts of Government. This will have a trickle-down benefit to the Filipino consumer and taxpayer. It is our considered opinion, and we hope you agree, that prohibiting the use of our Boards for the sale of gray market merchandise is a public service and a correct thing to do.

While the occasional sale of personal items and effects (including used Apple items) in the Marketplace section will be allowed to continue, the Moderators will restrict and delete all posts in the message boards involving the sale, swap or disposition of any gray market Apple merchandise. Any repeated violation of this policy will warrant a permanent exclusion from the Boards.

Finally, it has come to our attention that PhilMUG content (i.e. posts by members here in PhilMUG, screenshots of threads and private messages) and the PhilMUG name are being used outside our Boards for unauthorized commercial purposes. This practice is strictly prohibited and violates Philippine copyright laws.

Thank you for your understanding and compliance.

Sincerely,

The Philippine Macintosh Users Group