Kinumpirma ng Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) na pinagkalooban nila ang Television and Production Exponents Inc. (TAPE) ng renewal ng trademark registration para sa "Eat Bulaga" at "EB."
Sa isang pahayag nito lang August 22, sinabi ng IPOPHL, "On queries from various quarters about the renewal of the EAT BULAGA trademark of Television and Production Exponents, Inc., IPOPHL confirms the approval on June 14, 2023 of the request to extend the term of registration over EAT BULAGA AND EB covered by TM Reg. No. 42011005951, for NICE Classes 16, 18, 21, and 25 for another 10 years."
Dagdag pa ng IPO, "The renewal process strictly observes an ex-parte nature prescribed by Republic Act 8293 or the Intellectual Property Code.
"Under the law, requests for renewal should be granted if the registrant can prove the actual and continuous use of the mark."
"Moreover, as the renewal requests and other pending applications at the Bureau of Trademark (BOT) are separate from the trademark cancellation case at the Bureau of Legal Affairs (BLA), they do not affect the BLA's disposition of the merits of the trademark cancellation case."
Ayon na rin mismo sa IPOPHL, ang TAPE ang prior registrant ng "Eat Bulaga" at "EB" trademark, at matagumpay nitong nakapag-renew noong nag-expire noong June 14.
Nag-isyu naman ang Bureau of Trademarks under IPOPHL ng Certificate of Renewal of Registration para sa "Eat Bulaga" at "EB" trademarks at logos.
Nasa gitna ngayon ng legal dispute para sa "Eat Bulaga" trademark ang TAPE at TVJ (Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, at Joey de Leon) na dating hosts ng "Eat Bulaga."
Noong June 2, nag-file ang TVJ ng isang petisyon para makansela ang "Eat Bulaga" registration ng TAPE sa IPOPHL.
Samantala, nagsalita naman ang abogado ng TAPE na si Atty. Maggie Abraham-Garduque tungkol sa pahayag ng IPOPHL, "It has been our stand that TAPE is in actual and continuous use of the 'Eat Bulaga' trademark for its noontime show.
"Hence, it opposes any person or entity who applies for registration thereof, invoking Section 123 Par. F of IPO law of RA 8293."
Sa Par. F ng Section 123 ng IPO Law, dito masasagot ang tanong ng marami kung maaari nga bang magamit ang isang trademark sa magkaibang NICE classification.
Kung maaari bang may ibang gumamit ng "Eat Bulaga" trademark for Class #41 (entertainment services), gayong may existing nang "Eat Bulaga" wordmark at device mark / logo.
Ayon sa Section 123 ng naturang batas, "A mark cannot be registered if it: f) Is identical with, or confusingly similar to, or constitutes a translation of mark considered well-known in accordance with the preceding paragraph, which is registered in the Philippines with respect to goods or services which are not similar to those with respect to which registration is applied for:
"Provided, That use of the mark in relation to those goods or services would indicate a connection between those goods or services, and the owner of the registered mark:
"Provided, further, That the interests of the owner of the registered mark are likely to be damaged by such use."
Ani Atty. Maggie, "By renewing the registration of TAPE, IPO already acknowledges that TAPE is in actual and continuous use of the mark for its noontime show."
Dagdag pa niya, "That provision of the law (IPO law or RA 8293) states that if a mark is in actual use of another, you can't apply for registration of it, whether for goods or services.
"Because it will indicate a connection between those goods and services and the interest of TAPE will be damaged by such application for registration or use."
"Foremost, IPO in its previous letter recognizes that TAPE is the prior registrant of the trademark Eat Bulaga/EB.
"Now with its renewal, IPO likewise acknowledges that TAPE is in actual and continuous use thereof.
"Thereby, we invoke Section 123 Par. F that no one should be allowed to register it because TAPE is the prior registrant and the one in actual and continuous use," dagdag pa n'ya.
Sa isa namang hiwalay na aksyon, nagsampa ng kaso ang TVJ at si Jeny Ferre laban sa TAPE at GMA Network sa Marikina Regional Trial Court Branch 273 para naman sa "Copyright Infringement and Unfair Competition under R.A. No. 8293, otherwise known as the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, with Application for Issuance of a Writ of Preliminary Injunction."
Sa isinampang kaso, hinihiling ng TVJ at ni Ferre sa korte na mag-isyu ng injunction para pigilan ang TAPE na mag-replay ng "Eat Bulaga" episodes, segments, at iba pang audio-visual recordings na ginawa bago ang May 31, 2023 at ang paggamit ng titulong "Eat Bulaga."
Nito lang August 11, nag-testify na si Tito Sotto sa pagdinig ng application for the issuance of writ of preliminary injunction sa copyright infringement at unfair competition case. Nauna nang mag-testify sa korte si De Leon.
Comments
Post a Comment