Kawasaki Fails to Protect Patented Design for FURY 125 Motorcycle
July 22, 2015 The Japanese company, Kawasaki, and its Philippine subsidiaries, filed suit to stop a local company (Eastworld) from manufacturing and selling Sapphire 125 model motorcycles. Kawasaki complained that this motorcycle copies the design elements of its own motorcycle model Fury 125. Kawasaki alleged that the design elements of its Fury 125 motorcycle are […]
Intellectual Property Office to Increase Official Fees by 20%
June 18, 2015 An impending increase of 20% in official fees was announced by the Intellectual Property Office (“IPO”) in a public consultation held on June 15, 2015. Under the Rules, the IPO is authorized to regularly evaluate the level of official fees and to increase the same when necessary. The planned increase will cover […]
Did Supreme Court Signal a Wide Open Door For Trademark Piracy?
June 8, 2015 In a recent decision, the Supreme Court allowed the registrations owned by two competing companies, for an identical trademark, used in connection with goods in the same Class, thereby effectively throwing the doors wide open to trademark copying and creating a climate for potential consumer confusion. This baffling decision stemmed from the […]
Apple Loses Trademark Battle in the Philippines
June 6, 2015 In a surprising decision, the Bureau of Legal Affairs (“Bureau”) dismissed Apple Inc.’s (“Apple”) opposition, which it lodged against an application for the mark “mylphone” in the name of a local entity, Solid Broadband Corporation (“Solid”) [Apple, Inc. vs. Solid Broadband Corporation (IPC No. 14-2010-00212)]. Solid sought the registration of “mylphone” used […]
Opposition Dismissed For Not Filing Original Documents
May 18, 2015 An opposition will be dismissed if an Opposer fails to submit original documents supporting its case at the time the opposition is filed. This was the ruling of the Court of Appeals in a recent decision which it issued affirming the dismissal of the opposition by the Director General and the Bureau […]
Stare Decisis: Where Is It?
May 11, 2015 Stability and certainty in judicial decisions – that’s where the rule of law best thrives. The familiar doctrine of stare decisis commands that once a question of law has been examined and decided, it should be deemed settled and closed to further argument. This simply means that a ruling on a certain […]
Bridgestone’s Trademark Rights are Set in “STONE”
April 20, 2015 Bridgestone Corporation emerges victorious once again in another suit against an applicant seeking the registration of a trademark that uses the suffix “STONE” in connection with goods in Class 12. A Chinese company attempted to register “R-STONE” in the Philippines for use in Class 12. In its opposition, Bridgestone alleged that it […]
Abbott Lab Suffers Setback in Bid for Exclusivity of EYE-Q Trademark
April 13, 2015 Abbott Laboratories, the company responsible for bringing the nutrition drink ENSURE, which is popular among seniors and the elderly, has suffered a set back in the Philippines in relation to its infant formula bearing the trademark EYE-Q. A local businessman applied for the trademark EYE Q in connection with school and office supplies in […]
FEDERIS Named One of Philippines’ Top Trademark Firms by WTR 1000
January 31, 2015 FEDERIS and its managing partner, Mila Federis, have been recognized by World Trademark Review (WTR) for inclusion in the 2015 edition of the WTR 1000. In its debut, FEDERIS, as a firm, was praised for its “strong growth and A-list clients”. The publication also recognized the firm’s successes in filing opposition cases […]
Film Makes The Music
January 29, 2015 A local recording and music publishing company in the Philippines attempted to register “UNIVERSAL RECORDS and U Design” for cassette tapes, compact discs, laser discs, digital audiotapes in Class 9. Universal City Studios Inc. (“UCSI”) opposed the application claiming prior rights based on its earlier registration for UNIVERSAL for entertainment services in […]