Wala sa Class! Abogado ng TAPE, nagkomento sa 'EB Happy' copyright registration ng 'BakClash' grand winner

Sinabi ng abogado ng Television and Production Exponents Inc. (TAPE), producer ng longest-running noontime show na "Eat Bulaga," na ang "EB Happy" segment ng noontime show ay iba sa copyright registration na "EB Happy Everybody Happy" na naiparehistro kamakailan lang sa Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL).

Nito lang August 26, ipinost ni Jerricho Calingal, grand winner ng "BakClash" segment ng "Eat Bulaga" noong 2019, ang kopya ng kanyang IPOPHL Certificate of Copyright Registration para sa "EB Happy Everybody Happy."

Makikita sa certificate ang petsa ng pagkakagawa nito na July 7 at nai-rehistro noong August 22. Inisyu ang certificate noong August 23.

Kamakailan lang, matagumpay na na-renew ng TAPE ang trademark registration nila para sa "Eat Bulaga" at "EB."

Sinabi ng abogado ng TAPE na si Atty. Maggie Abraham-Garduque na ang "EB Happy" ng noontime show ay isang trademark at hindi copyright.

"As regards the name 'EB Happy,' this is a trademark and not copyright. The 'EB Happy' trademark of TAPE Inc. is 'Eat Bulaga Happy,' which is different from his 'EB Happy,' which is "Everybody Happy," aniya.

Dagdag pa ni Atty Maggie na ang copyright registration ni Calingal ay sa ilalim ng Class G sa Section 172.1 ng Republic Act 8293 o ang Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, na tumutukoy sa "works of drawing, painting, architecture, sculpture, engraving, lithography or other works of art; models or designs for works of art."

Hindi kasama sa copyright ni Calingal ang "dramatic or dramatico-musical compositions; choreographic works or entertainment in dumb shows" under Class E, at "audiovisual works and cinematographic works and works produced by a process analogous to cinematography or any process for making audio-visual recordings," na under naman ng Class L, ayon sa abogado.

Dagdag pa ni Atty Maggie na ang TAPE "is in actual use of the trademark 'EB (Eat Bulaga) Happy'" sa segment ng 'Eat Bulaga.' Samantalang walang 'actual use' si Mr. Calingal sa kahit anong class.

Tungkol naman sa copyright registration na ipinost ni Calingal, sinabi ni Abraham-Garduque na "he registered the copyright for Class G for his  graphic design for 'Everybody Happy.' So no conflict with TAPE's audio visual recording for its segment 'EB Happy'."

"As regards his claim that the segment 'EB Happy' is his idea or concept, assuming without admitting that this is true, RA 8293 or the IPO code vividly provides that 'ideas and concepts are not protected by copyright."

Binanggit ng abogado ang Section 175 ng IPO law, na nagsasabing "notwithstanding the provisions of Section 172 and 173, no protection shall extend, under this law, to any idea, procedure system, method or operation, concept, principle, discovery or mere data as such, even if they are expressed, explained, illustrated or embodied in a work;

"news of the day and other miscellaneous facts having the character of mere items of press information; or any official text of a legislative, administrative or legal nature, as well as any official translation thereof."

Dagdag pa rito, makikita sa website ng IPOPHL kapag hinanap mo ang "EB Happy" ang application ni Calingal ng trademark registration para sa "EB Happy (Everybody Happy)." As of July 24, ang application ay pending pa rin sa IPOPHL.

Sinabi ni Abraham-Garduque na tututulan nila ang trademark application ni Calingal para sa "EB Happy (Everybody Happy)" sa IPOPHL.

"We will file opposition to his trademark application for ‘EB Happy (Everybody Happy)’ if it will reach publication since this trademark is confusingly similar to the one being used by TAPE in its segment for its noontime show," aniya.

Nang tanungin kung nakausap na ng TAPE si Calingal tungkol sa kaniyang copyright registration, sinabi niyang, "Hindi pa rin po sila nakikipag-usap, but I'm still hoping na we can get to talk about this matter. Wala pong gusot na hindi naaayos sa magandang usapan."

Ayon sa website ng IPOPHL, "Copyright is the legal protection extended to the owner of the rights in an original work. 'Original work' refers to intellectual creation in the literary, scientific, and artistic domain."

"Among the literary and artistic works enumerated in the IP Code are books and other writings, musical works, films and photographic works, ornamental designs or models of manufacture, paintings, sculptures, and other works of arts, as well computer programs and mobile apps, etc. The IP Code grants authors, artists, and other creators, automatic protection for their literary and artistic creations, from the moment they create it," nakasaad din sa website.

Samantala, "A trademark is a word, a group of words, sign, symbol, logo or a combination thereof that identifies and differentiates the source of the goods or services of one entity from those of others."