Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Trademark; Section 123.1(e) of R.A. No. 8293 applied - G.R. No. 185917

G.R. No. 185917

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"x x x.

Indeed, Section 123.1(e) of R.A. No. 8293 now categorically states that “a mark which is considered by the competent authority of the Philippines to be well-known internationally and in the Philippines, whether or not it is registered here,” cannot be registered by another in the Philippines. Section 123.1(e) does not require that the well-known mark be used in commerce in the Philippines but only that it be well-known in the Philippines. Moreover, Rule 102 of the Rules and Regulations on Trademarks, Service Marks, Trade Names and Marked or Stamped Containers, which implement R.A. No. 8293, provides:

Rule 102. Criteria for determining whether a mark is well-known. In determining whether a mark is well-known, the following criteria or any combination thereof may be taken into account:

(a) the duration, extent and geographical area of any use of the mark, in particular, the duration, extent and geographical area of any promotion of the mark, including advertising or publicity and the presentation, at fairs or exhibitions, of the goods and/or services to which the mark applies;

(b) the market share, in the Philippines and in other countries, of the goods and/or services to which the mark applies;

(c) the degree of the inherent or acquired distinction of the mark;

(d) the quality-image or reputation acquired by the mark;

(e) the extent to which the mark has been registered in the world;

(f) the exclusivity of registration attained by the mark in the world;

(g) the extent to which the mark has been used in the world;

(h) the exclusivity of use attained by the mark in the world;

(i) the commercial value attributed to the mark in the world;

(j) the record of successful protection of the rights in the mark;

(k) the outcome of litigations dealing with the issue of whether the mark is a well-known mark; and

(l) the presence or absence of identical or similar marks validly registered for or used on identical or similar goods or services and owned by persons other than the person claiming that his mark is a well-known mark. (Emphasis supplied)

x x x."