RULES
AND REGULATIONS ON TRADEMARKS,
SERVICE MARKS, TRADE NAMES AND MARKED
OR STAMPED CONTAINERS
Whereas,
the State recognizes that an effective industrial property system is
vital
to the development of domestic creativity, facilitates transfer of
technology,
attracts foreign investments and ensures market access for our
products;
Whereas,
it is the policy of the State to streamline administrative procedures
in
registering trademarks and enhance the enforcement of intellectual
property
rights in the Philippines;
Now,
therefore, pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No. 8293,
otherwise
known as the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, the
following
rules and regulations on trademarks, service marks, trade names, and
marked
or stamped containers are hereby promulgated:
PART 1 REGISTRATION OF TRADEMARKS AND
SERVICE
MARKS
Rule
100. Definitions.
Unless otherwise specified, the following terms shall have the meaning
provided in this Rule:
(a)
“Bureau” means the Bureau of Trademarks
of the Intellectual Property Office;
(b) “Collective
mark” means any
visible sign designated as such in the application for registration and
capable of distinguishing the origin or any other common
characteristics,
including the quality of goods or services of different enterprises
which
use the sign under the control of the registered owner of the
collective
mark;
(c) “Competent
authority” for
purposes of determining whether a mark is well-known, means the Court,
the Director General, the Director of the Bureau of Legal Affairs, or
any
administrative agency or office vested with quasi-judicial or judicial
jurisdiction to hear and adjudicate any action to enforce the rights to
a mark;
(d) “Director”
means the Director of
the Bureau of Trademarks;
(e) “Director
General” means the head
of the Intellectual Property Office;
(f)
“Examiner” means the trademark examiner
or any official or employee of the Bureau of Trademarks authorized to
examine
applications for registration or renewals thereof;
(g) “IP
Code” means Republic Act No.
8293 otherwise known as the Intellectual Property Code of the
Philippines;
(h) “IPO
Gazette” means the Intellectual
Property Office’s own publication where all matters required to be
published
under the IP Code shall be published;
(i)
“Mark” means any visible sign capable
of distinguishing the goods (trademark) or services (service mark) of
an
enterprise and shall include a stamped or marked container of
goods;
(j) “Office”
means the Intellectual
Property Office;
(k) “Regulations”
means these set of
rules and regulations and such Rules of Practice in Trademarks and
Service
Marks as may be formulated by the Director of Trademarks and approved
by
the Director General; and
(l) “Trade
name” means the name or designation
identifying or distinguishing an enterprise, also known or referred to
as business identifier.
Rule 101. Registrability.
A
mark cannot be registered if it:
(a)
Consists of immoral, deceptive or
scandalous matter, or matter which may disparage or falsely suggest a
connection
with persons, living or dead, institutions, beliefs, or national
symbols,
or bring them into contempt or disrepute;
(b)
Consists of the flag or coat
of arms or other insignia of the Philippines or any of its
political
subdivisions, or of any foreign nation, or any simulation thereof;
(c)
Consists of a name, portrait or signature
identifying a particular living individual except by his written
consent,
or the name, signature, or portrait of a deceased President of the
Philippines,
during the life of his widow, if any, except by written consent of the
widow;
(d) Is
identical with a registered mark belonging
to a different proprietor or a mark with an earlier filing or priority
date, in respect of:
(i) The same goods or services,
or
(ii) Closely related goods or
services, or
(iii) If it nearly resembles such a
mark as
to be likely to deceive or cause confusion;
(e) Is
identical with, or confusingly similar
to, or constitutes a translation of 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, as being already the
mark of a person other than the applicant for registration, and used
for
identical or similar goods or services; Provided, That in
determining
whether a mark is well-known, account shall be taken of the knowledge
of
the relevant sector of the public, rather than of the public at large,
including knowledge in the Philippines which has been obtained as a
result
of the promotion of the mark;
(f)
Is identical with, or confusingly
similar to, or constitutes a translation of a 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;
(g) Is likely to mislead the public,
particularly
as to the nature, quality, characteristics or geographical origin of
the
goods or services. Geographical indications are indications which
identify a good as originating in the territory of a country which is a
member of, or a region or locality in that territory, where a given
quality,
reputation or other characteristic of the good is essentially
attributable
to its geographical origin.
(h)
Consists exclusively of signs that are
generic for the goods or services that they seek to identify;
(i) Consists exclusively of signs or of
indications
that have become customary or usual to designate the goods or services
in everyday language or in bona-fide and established trade
practice;
(j) Consists exclusively of signs or of
indications
that may serve in trade to designate the kind, quality, quantity,
intended
purpose, value, geographical origin, time or production of the goods or
rendering of the services, or other characteristics of the goods or
services;
(k)
Consists of shapes that may be necessitated
by technical factors or by the nature of the goods themselves or
factors
that affect their intrinsic value;
(l) Consists of color alone, unless
defined
by a given form; or
(m) Is
contrary to public order or morality.
As
regards signs or devices mentioned in paragraphs
(j), (k), and (l), nothing shall prevent the registration of any such
sign
or device which has become distinctive in relation to the goods or
services
for which registration is requested as a result of the use that has
been
made of it in commerce in the Philippines. The Office may accept
as prima facie evidence that the mark has become distinctive, as used
in
connection with the applicant’s goods or services in commerce, proof of
substantially exclusive and continuous use thereof by the applicant in
commerce in the Philippines for five (5) years before the date on which
the claim of distinctiveness is made.
The
nature of the goods or services to which
the mark is applied will not constitute an obstacle to
registration.
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.
Rule 103. Trade
Names or Business Names. (a) A name or designation may
not be used as a trade name if by its nature or the use to which such
name
or designation may be put, it is contrary to public order or morals and
if, in particular, it is liable to deceive trade circles or the
public
as to the nature of the enterprise identified by that name.
(b)
Notwithstanding any laws or regulations
providing for any obligation to register trade names, such names shall
be protected, even prior to or without registration, against any
unlawful
act committed by third parties. In particular, any subsequent use
of the trade name by a third party, whether as a trade name or a mark
or
collective mark, or any such use of a similar trade name or mark,
likely
to mislead the public, shall be deemed unlawful.
(c) The
remedies provided for cancellation
and infringent of marks in Sections 153 to 156 and Sections 166 and 167
of the IP Code shall apply to tradenames mutatis mutandis.
(d)
Any change in the ownership of a trade
name shall be made with the transfer of the enterprise or part thereof
identified by that name. However, such transfer or assignment
shall
be null and void if it is liable to mislead the public, particularly as
regards the nature, source, manufacturing process, characteristics, or
suitability for their purpose, of the goods or services to which the
mark
is applied.
PART
2 RIGHT
TO A MARK
Rule 200.
How Marks are Acquired. The rights in a mark shall
be acquired
through registration made validly in accordance with the law.
Rule
201.
International Conventions and Reciprocity. (a)
Any person
who is a national or who is domiciled or has a real and effective
industrial
establishment in a country which is a party to any convention, treaty
or
agreement relating to intellectual property rights or the
repression
of unfair competition, to which the Philippines is also a party, or
extends
reciprocal rights to nationals of the Philippines by law, shall be
entitled
to benefits to the extent necessary to give effect to any provision of
such convention, treaty or reciprocal law, in addition to the rights to
which any owner of an intellectual property right is otherwise entitled
by the Intellectual Property Code.
(b) The registration
of a mark of such person shall be independent of the registration in
the
country of origin and the duration, validity or transfer in the
Philippines
of such registration shall be governed by the IP Code and these
Regulations.
Rule
202.
Priority Right; Basis for Claiming Priority Right. (a)
An application for registration of a mark filed in the Philippines by a
person referred to in Rule 201, and who previously duly filed an
application
for registration of the same mark in one of those countries, shall be
considered
as filed as of the day the application was first filed in the foreign
country.
(b) No registration
of a mark in the Philippines by a person described in this rule shall
be
granted until such mark has been registered in the country of origin of
the applicant.
(c) The country of
origin of the applicant is the country in which he is a national,
domiciled,
or has a bona fide and effective industrial or commercial
establishment.
(d) Nothing in this
rule shall entitle the owner of a registration granted under this rule
to sue for acts committed prior to the date on which his mark was
registered
in the Philippines. Provided, That, notwithstanding the
foregoing,
the owner of a well-known mark, as defined in the IP Code and
these
Regulations, that is not registered in the Philippines, may, against an
identical or confusingly similar mark, oppose its registration, or
petition
the cancellation of its registration or sue for unfair competition,
without
prejudice to availing himself of other remedies provided for under the
law.
(e) In like manner
and subject to the same conditions and requirements, the priority right
may be based upon a subsequent regularly filed application in the same
foreign country: Provided, That any foreign application that was
made the basis of the priority right and filed prior to such subsequent
application has been withdrawn, abandoned, or otherwise disposed of,
without
having been laid open to public inspection and without leaving any
rights
outstanding, and has not served as a basis for claiming a right of
priority
shall not thereafter serve as a basis for claiming a right of
priority.
Rule
203.
Requirements for Applications Claiming Priority Right. An
application claiming priority right must be filed within six (6) months
from the date the earliest foreign application was filed. A
certified
copy of the corresponding foreign application together with an English
translation must filed within three (3) months from the date of filing
in the Philippines.
Rule
204.
Declaration of actual use. The Office will not
require any
proof of use in commerce in the processing of trademark
applications.
However, without need of any notice from the Office, all applicants or
registrants shall file a declaration of actual use of the mark with
evidence
to that effect within three years, without possibility of extension,
from
the filing date of the application. Otherwise, the application
shall
be refused or the mark shall be removed from the register by the
Director
motu proprio.
Rule
205.
Contents of the declaration and evidence of actual use. The
declaration shall be under oath, must refer to not more than one
application
or registration, must contain the name and address of the
applicant
or registrant declaring that the mark is in actual use in the
Philippines,
list the goods where the mark is attached; list the name or names and
the
exact location or locations of the outlet or outlets where the products
are being sold or where the services are being rendered, recite
sufficient
facts to show that the mark described in the application or
registration
is being actually used in the Philippines, specifying the nature of
such
use, attaching certified or original copies of purchase orders, sales
invoices,
official receipts, stating the volume of sales during the fiscal year
immediately
preceding the filing of the declaration, furnishing copies of printed
advertisement
and other proofs of advertising with a statement of the
advertising
cost in the immediately preceeding fiscal year as shown in the
corresponding
audited financial statements where applicable, or income tax returns in
all cases. The declarant should also attach five labels as
actually
used on the goods or the picture of the stamped or marked container
visibly
and legibly showing the mark as well as proof of payment of the
prescribed
fee.
PART
3 WHO
MAY APPLY
FOR A MARK
Rule 300.
The Applicant. (a) Applicant may be a person
or juridical
person.
(b) Unless modified
by this Chapter, all applications for a mark should be in the name of
the
applicant(s) who may sign the application. If there are more than
one applicant, all of them should be named as applicant but anyone may
sign the application for and in behalf of all the applicants.
Rule
301.
Assigned marks. In case the whole interest in the mark is
assigned,
the application may be filed in the name of the assignee who may sign
the
application. In case the assignee is a juridical person, any officer
thereof
may sign the application in behalf of the said person. In case of
an aliquot portion or undivided interest, each of the joint owners will
sign the application.
Rule 302. Representation;
Address for Service. If the applicant is not
domiciled
or has no real and effective commercial establishment in the
Philippines,
he shall designate by a written document filed in the Office, the name
and address of a Philippine resident who may be served notices or
process
in proceedings affecting the mark. Such notices or services may
be
served upon the person so designated by leaving a copy thereof at the
address
specified in the last designation filed. If the person so
designated
cannot be found at the address given in the last designation, such
notice
or process may be served upon the Director.
Rule 303. Applicant
may be represented by attorney. The owner of a
mark
may file and prosecute his own application for registration, or he may
be represented by any attorney or other person authorized to practice
in
such matters by the Office. The Office shall not aid in the
selection
of an attorney or agent other than the furnishing of the list of
Attorneys
or agents authorized to practise before the Office.
Rule
304.
Power of attorney or authorization.
Before any
attorney-at-law or other recognized person will be allowed to file an
application
or take action in any case or proceeding, ex parte or inter partes, a
power
of attorney or authorization must be filed in that particular case or
proceeding.
A substitute or associate
attorney may be appointed by an attorney only upon the written
authorization
of his principal; but a third attorney appointed by the second will not
be recognized.
Rule
305.
Death, insanity, incapacity of applicant. When the
applicant
dies, becomes insane or otherwise incapacitated, the legally appointed
executor, administrator, guardian, conservator or representative of the
dead or insane or incapacitated applicant may prosecute the application
in behalf of the heirs and successors-in-interest of the
applicant.
Rule 306. Signature.
and other means of Self-identification. (a)
Where a signature is required, the Office shall accept:
(1) A
handwritten
signature; or
(2)
The use
of other forms of signature, such as a printed or stamped signature, or
the use of a seal, instead of a hand-written signature: Provided,
That where a seal is used, it should be accompanied by an indication in
letters of the name of the signatory.
(b) No attestation,
notarization, authentication, legalization or other certification of
any
signature or other means of self-identification referred to in the
preceding
paragraphs, will be required, except, where the signature concerns the
surrender of a registration.
PART
4 TRADEMARK
APPLICATION
Rule 400. Requirements
of application. All applications must be addressed to the
Director
and shall be in Filipino or English and shall contain the
following:
(a) a
request
for registration;
(b)
the name and address of the applicant;
(c) the
name of a
State of which the applicant is a national or where he has domicile;
and
the name of a State in which the applicant has a real and effective
industrial
or commercial establishment, if any;
(d)
where
the applicant is a juridical entity, the law under which it is
organized
and existing;
(e)
the appointment
of an agent or representative, if the applicant is not domiciled in the
Philippines;
(f)
where the
applicant claims the priority of an earlier application, a declaration
claiming the priority of that earlier application, together with an
indication
of:
- the name
of the
State with whose National Office the earlier application was filed or
if
filed with an Office other than a National Office, the name of that
Office;
- the
date on which
the earlier application was filed; and
- where
available,
the application number of the earlier application;
(g) where
the applicant
wishes to claim color as a distinctive feature of the mark, a statement
to that effect as well as the name or names of the color or colors
claimed
and an indication, in respect of each color, of the principal parts of
the mark which are in that color;
(h)
where
the mark is a three-dimensional mark, a statement to that effect;
(i)
a
reproduction of the mark and facsimiles thereof as provided in these
Regulations;
(j)
a transliteration
or translation of the mark or of some parts of the mark, as prescribed
in these Regulations;
(k) the
names of
the goods or services for which the registration is sought, grouped
according
to the classes of the Nice Classification, together with the number of
the class of the said Classification to which each group of goods or
services
belongs;
(l) where
the application
is for a collective mark, a designation to that effect;
(m) a
signature by,
or other self-identification of, the applicant or his
representative;
(n) Power
of Attorney
if the filing is through a representative; and
(o) sworn
Statement
that the applicant is a small entity if such be the fact.
Rule
401.
Office Application Form. For the convenience of
applicants,
the Office shall draw up and make available a standard application form
which may be reproduced at will by applicants and other persons at
their
own cost.
Rule 402. Label.
The applicant may include the label as actually used or intended to be
used on the goods or a copy or duplicate made by photo engraving or
some
similar process.
The mark must be
bigger and more dominant than the generic term of goods except in
the case of medicine as required by law.
Rule
403.
Drawing. (a) The drawing of the mark shall be
substantially exact
representation thereof as actually used or intended to be used on or in
connection with, the goods or services of the applicant.
(b) A typed drawing
may be accepted by the Examiner if no special characteristics
have
to be shown such as design, style of lettering, color, diacritical
marks,
or unusual forms of punctuation.
A computer print-out
may also be accepted by the Examiner if it substantially complies with
the requirement that it must be the exact representation of the
mark.
(c) The provisions
of this Rule shall, however be construed liberally in determining
whether
the applications shall be considered complete for the purpose of
granting
a filing date.
Rule
404.
Drawing for a service mark may be dispensed with in certain
cases.
The drawing of a service mark may be dispensed with but the application
must contain an adequate description of such mark.
Rule
405.
Drawing to be on Bristol board. The Drawing
must be
made upon pure white paper of a thickness of a Bristol board. The
surface of the paper must be calendered and smooth.
Rule
406.
Size of board; “sight”. The size of a sheet
on
which a Drawing is made must be exactly two hundred ten millimeters
(210
mm) by two hundred ninety-seven millimeters (297 mm) or the size of an
A4 paper. Nineteen millimeters (19 mm) from its edges, a single
marginal
line is to be drawn, leaving the “sight” precisely one hundred
seventy-two
millimeters (172 mm) by two hundred fifty-nine millimeters (259
mm).
Within this margin all work and signatures must be included. One
of the shorter sides of the sheet should be regarded as its top.
Rule
407.
Drawing to be with the pen or by other processing giving
satisfactory
results. If colors are not claimed, all Drawings must
be
made with pen only or by a process which will give them satisfactory
reproduction
characteristics. Every line and letter, signatures included, must
be absolutely black. This direction applies to all lines,
however
fine, and to shading. All lines must be clean, sharp, and solid,
and they must not be too fine or crowded. Surface shading, when
used,
should be open.
Rule
408.
The name of the owner to be within marginal lines. The
name of the
proprietor of the trademark or service mark trade name must be
within
the marginal lines and should not encroach upon the drawing.
It
should be signed by the owner or his Attorney of record. However,
a printed or stamped signature or the use of seal accompanied by an
indication
in letters of the name of signatory is also accepted.
Rule
409.
When board may be turned on its side. When the view
is longer
than the width of the sheet, the sheet should be turned on its
side.
Rule 410. Manner
of mailing the Drawing to the Bureau. Drawing
transmitted
to the Office should be sent flat, protected by a sheet of
heavy binder’s board, or should be rolled for transmission in a
suitable
mailing tube. They should never be folded.
Rule
411.
Color. Where color is a material feature of the mark as
used or
intended to be used, the color or colors employed may be actually
reproduced
in the drawings and facsimiles. Otherwise, a statement must be
made
giving the name or names of the color or colors claimed indicating the
principal part or parts of the mark which are in such color or
colors.
Rule 412. Informal
Drawing. A Drawing not executed in conformity with the
foregoing rules may be accepted for the purpose of examination, but the
Drawing must be corrected or a new one furnished, as may be required,
before
the mark can be published for opposition or the application
allowed.
Substitute Drawings will not be accepted unless they have been required
by the Examiner or unless correction of original Drawing would require
that the mark or trade name be substantially entirely redrawn.
Rule
413.
Use of an old Drawing in a new application. In
an application
filed in place of an abandoned or rejected application, a new complete
application is required, but the old Drawing, if suitable, may be
used.
The application must be accompanied by a request for the transfer of
the
Drawing, and by a permanent photographic copy, or an order for such
copy,
of the Drawing to be placed in the original file. A drawing
so transferred or to be transferred cannot be amended.
Rule
414.
The Small facsimiles of the Drawing, how prepared. The
ten
small facsimiles of the Drawing must be printed in black ink or in
color,
if colors are claimed, one facsimile on Bristol board and the
other
nine facsimiles on an ordinary coupon bond paper and must be capable of
being satisfactorily reproduced when published in the IPO Gazette. The
size of the sheet on which these facsimiles are to be printed
must
be seventy millimeters (70 mm) long and thirty-five millimeters (35 mm)
wide.
Rule 415. Translation/Transliteration.
A translation or transliteration of the mark or of some parts
of the
mark must accompany the application if the mark or of some parts of the
mark is/are foreign word(s), letter(s) and character(s), or foreign
sounding.
Transliteration is
an act, process or instance of representing or spelling of words,
letters
or characters of one language in the letters and characters of another
language or alphabet.
Translation is an
act, process or instance of translating as rendering from one language
or representational system into another.
Rule 416. Nice
Classification. The applicant must indicate the
names
of the goods or services for which the registration is sought, grouped
according to the classes of the Nice Classification, together with the
number of the class of the Nice Classification to which each group of
goods
or services belongs.
CLASSIFICATION
OF GOODS
TITLE
CLASS
1 Chemical products
used in industry, science, photography, agriculture, horticulture,
forestry;
artificial and synthetic resins; plastics in the form of powders,
liquids
or plates, for industrial use; manures (natural and artificial); fire
extinguishing
compositions; tempering substances and chemical preparations for
soldering;
chemical substances for preserving foodstuffs; tanning substances;
adhesive
substances used in industry.
2 Paints, varnishes,
lacquers, preservatives against rust and against deterioration of wood;
colouring matters; dyestuffs; mordants; natural resins; metals in
foil and powder form for painters and decorators.
3 Bleaching preparations
and other substances for laundry use; cleaning, polishing, scouring and
abrasive preparations; soaps; perfumery; essential oils, cosmetics,
hair
lotions, dentrifices.
4 Industrial oils
and greases (other than edible oils and fats and essential oils);
lubricants;
dust laying and absorbing compositions; fuels (including motor spirit)
and illuminants; candles, tapers, nightlights and wicks.
5 Pharmaceutical,
veterinary and sanitary substances; infants’; and invalids’ foods;
plasters,
material for bandaging; material for stopping teeth, dental wax;
disinfectants;
preparations for killing weeds and destroying vermin.
6 Unwrought and partly
wrought common metals and their alloys; anchors, anvils, bells, rolled
and cast building materials; rails and other metallic materials for
railway
tracks; chains (except driving chains for vehicles); cables and wires
(non-electric);
lock-smith’ work ; metallic pipes and tubes; safes and cash boxes;
steel
balls; horseshoes; nails and screws; other goods in non-precious metal
not included in other classes; ores.
7 Machines and machine
tools; motors (except for land vehicles); machine couplings and belting
(except for land vehicles); large size agricultural implements;
incubators.
8 Hand tools and
instruments; cutlery, forks and spoons; side arms.
9 Scientific, nautical,
surveying and electrical apparatus and instruments (including
wireless),
photographic, cinematographic, optical, weighing, measuring,
signalling,
checking (supervision), life saving and teaching apparatus and
instruments;
coin or counter-freed apparatus; talking machines; cash registers;
calculating
machines; fire-extinguishing apparatus.
10 Surgical, medical,
dental and veterinary instruments and apparatus (including artificial
limbs,
eyes and teeth).
11 Installations
for lighting, heating, steam generating, cooking, refrigerating,
drying,
ventilating, water supply and sanitary purposes.
12 Vehicles; apparatus
for locomotion by land, air or water.
13 Firearms; ammunition
and projectiles; explosive substances; fireworks.
14 Precious metals
and their alloys and goods in precious metals or coated therewith (
except
cutlery, forks and spoons); jewellery, precious stones; horological and
other choronometric instruments.
15 Musical instruments
(other than talking machines and wireless apparatus).
16 Paper and paper
articles, cardboard and cardboard articles; printed matter, newspaper
and
periodicals, books; bookbinding materials; photographs; stationery,
adhesive
materials (stationery); artists’ materials; paint brushes;
typewriters
and Office requisites (other than furniture); instructional and
teaching
material (other than apparatus);playing cards; (printers’) type and
cliches
(stereotype).
17 Gutta percha,
indiarubber, balata and substitutes, articles made from these
substances,
and not included in other classes; plastics in the form of sheets,
blocks
and rods, being for use in manufacturers; materials for packing,
stopping
or insulating; asbestos, mica and their products; hose pipes
(non-metallic).
18 Leather and imitations
of leather, articles made from these materials, and not included in
other
classes; skins, hides, trunks and travelling bags; umbrellas, parasols
and walking sticks; whips, harness and saddlery.
19 Building materials,
natural and artificial stone, cement, lime, mortar, plaster and gravel;
pipes of earthenware or cement; road-making materials; asphalt, pitch
and
bitumen; portable buildings; stone monuments; chimney pots.
20 Furniture, mirrors,
picture frames; articles (not included in other classes) of wood, cork,
reeds, cane, wicker, horn, bone, ivory, whale-bone, shell, amber,
mother-of-pearl,
meerschaum, celluloid, substitutes for all these material, or of
plastic.
21 Small domestic
utensils and containers (not of precious metal, nor coated
therewith);combs
and sponges; brushes (other than paint brushes);brush-making materials;
instruments and materials for cleaning purposes; steel wool; unworked
or
semi-worked glass (excluding glass used in building); glassware,
porcelain
and earthenware not included in other classes.
22 Rope, string,
nets, tents, awnings, tarpaulins, sails, sacks; padding and stuffing
materials
(hair, capoc, feathers, seaweeds, etc.); raw textile materials.
23 Yarns, threads.
24 Tissues (piece
goods); bed and table covers; textile articles not included in other
classes.
25 Clothing, including
boots, shoes and slippers.
26 Lace and embroidery,
ribbons and braids; buttons, press buttons, hooks and eyes, pins and
needles;
artificial flowers.
27 Carpets, rugs,
mats and matting; linoleums and other materials for covering existing
floors;
wall hangings (non-textile).
28 Games and playthings;
gymnastic and sporting articles (except clothing); ornaments and
decorations
for Christmas trees.
29 Meat, fish, poultry
and game; meat extracts; preserved, dried and cooked fruits and
vegetables;
jellies, jams; eggs; milk and other dairy products; edible oils and
fats;
preserves, pickles.
30 Coffee, tea, cocoa,
sugar, rice, tapioca, sago, coffee substitutes; flour, and preparations
made from cereals; bread, biscuits, cakes pastry and confectionery,
ices;
honey, treachel; yeast, baking-powder; salt mustard; pepper, vinegar,
sauces;
spices; ice.
31 Agricultural,
horticultural and forestry products and grains not included in
other
classes; living animals; fresh fruits and vegetables; seeds; live
plants
and flowers; foodstuffs for animals, malt.
32 Beer, ale and
porter; mineral and aerated waters and other non-alcoholic drinks;
syrups
and other preparations for making beverages.
33 Wines, spirits
and liquors.
34 Tobacco, raw or
manufactured; smokers’ articles; matches.
(b) CLASSIFICATION
OF BUSINESS OR SERVICES
35 Advertising and
business
36 Insurance
and
financial
37
Construction
and repair
38
Communication
39
Transportation
and storage
40 Material
treatment
41 Education
and
entertainment
42
Miscellaneous
Rule
417.
Broad terms. In any application, the use of broad
terms in
identifying the goods, business or services shall be
unacceptable.
Applicants whose application are based on foreign registration shall be
required to specify the goods covered by such foreign registration in
all
cases where the foreign registration used broad terms in identifying
the
goods, business or services.
Rule
418.
Single registration for goods and/or services. One
(1) application
may relate to several goods and/or services, whether they belong to one
(1) class or to several classes of the Nice Classification. Where goods
and/or services belonging to several classes of the Nice Classification
have been included in one (1) application, such an application shall
result
in one registration.
Rule
419.
Division of Applications. (a) Any
application
referring to several goods or services referred to as the “ initial
application”
may be divided by the applicant into two (2) or more applications
hereafter
referred to as the “divisional applications” by distributing among the
latter the goods or services referred to in the initial
application.
(b) A single class
shall not be subdivided.
(c) The divisional
applications must be submitted before examination of the initial
application
or within two (2) months from mailing date of the first action of
the Bureau.
(d) Upon receipt
of the divisional applications, the Office shall cancel the initial
application
together with its application number. New application numbers
shall
be given to the divisional applications but the filing date shall be
the
same as the filing date of the initial application. The
divisional
applications shall likewise preserve the benefit of the right of
priority
of the initial application.
PART
5 THE
FILING DATE
Rule 500. Filing
Date. Subject to the provisions on priority right, the
filing date of an application shall be the date on which the Office
received
the payment for the required fee and the following indications and
elements
in English or Filipino:
(a) An
express or
implicit indication that the registration of a mark is sought;
(b) The
identity
of the applicant;
(c)
Indications sufficient
to contact the applicant or his representative, if any;
(d) A
reproduction
of the mark whose registration is sought; and
(e) The
list of the
goods or services for which the registration is sought.
Rule 501. Application
Number and Filing Date. (a) Before starting to examine
the registrability of a mark, the Examiner or such other personnel as
the
Director may authorize, shall examine whether the application
satisfies
the requirements for the grant of a filing date as provided in these
Regulations.
If the application does not satisfy the filing date requirements, the
Bureau
shall notify the applicant who shall, within a period of one (1) month
from mailing date of the notice, complete or correct the application as
required; otherwise, the application shall be considered
withdrawn.
(b) If the
application did not satisfy the requirements for grant of a filing date
at the time that the filing fee and other indications were received by
the Office, the filing date that was given shall be cancelled and a new
filing date shall be entered in the records of the Office. The
new
filing date shall be the date on which the Office received the
completed
or corrected application as specified in the notice to the
applicant.
PART 6 PROCEEDINGS IN THE EXAMINATION
OF AN APPLICATION FOR
REGISTRATION
CHAPTER
1. NATURE OF THE PROCEEDINGS
Rule
600. Application prosecuted ex parte;
protests. An application for registration is
prosecuted
ex parte by the applicant; that is, the proceedings are like a lawsuit
in which there is a plaintiff (the applicant) but no defendant, the
court
itself (the Examiner) acting as the adverse party.
No
attention shall be paid to ex parte statements
or protests of persons concerning pending applications to which they
are
not parties, unless information of the pendency of these applications
shall
have been voluntarily communicated by the applicants.
Rule 601. Proceedings a contest
between
Examiner and the Applicant. An ex parte
proceeding in the Office for the registration of a mark is a law
contest
between the Examiner, representing the interest of the public and the
applicant
(or his attorney), representing his own private interests.
Rule 602. Applicant supposed to look
after
his own interests. The Office, represented by the
Examiner, is not supposed to look after the interest of an applicant.
The
law imposes that duty upon the applicant himself. The Examiner is
charged
with the protection of the interests of the public and hence must be
vigilant
to see that no registration issues for a mark contrary to law and these
Regulations.
Rule 603. Preliminary adverse action
of
the Examiner valuable to Applicant. The positive
value of a preliminary adverse action of the Examiner should be fully
appreciated
by the applicant or his attorney. A hard-fought application will
produce
a registration much more likely to stand in court than a registration
which
has slid through the Office easily. The reason for this is that every
point
raised by the Examiner and finally decided by the Office in favor of
the
applicant will give the applicant a prima facie standing on that point
in court. The Office is empowered by law to pass upon applications for
registration and, because of the authority vested in it, its decisions
with respect to the grant of a registration, or on any point connected
with it, are presumed to be correct by the courts.
Rule 604. A preliminary rejection
should
not be taken literally; Examiner is only trying to be helpful.
A preliminary rejection by the Examiner is never to be taken literally.
An applicant should remember that the Examiner may not be actually
rejecting
his application. The Examiner may in fact be quite prepared to admit
the
application, and is only trying to give the applicant a chance to
explain
away some reference or some difficulty rather than have him wait until
the registration is granted and become involved in a litigation, when
it
may then be difficult for him to make the explanation.
CHAPTER 2. MANNER OF
EXAMINATION
OF AN APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION; ACTION BY THE EXAMINER; RESPONSE BY
THE APPLICANT; ABANDONMENT; REVIVAL.
Rule 605. Order of examination;
priority
of action. Applications shall be examined for
registrability
in the order in which the complete requirements for grant of filing
date
are received by the Office. Ordinarily, the order of the
application
number assigned to them by the Office will be followed and no
application
bearing a higher application number shall be examined in advance of the
applications with lower application numbers unless the filing date or
the
priority date of the application bearing the higher number is earlier
than
those bearing a lower number.
Rule 606. Jurisdiction of the
Examiner.
The Examiners shall have original jurisdiction over the examination of
all applications for registration and over their allowance for
publication
in the IPO Gazette for purposes of opposition. Their decision, when
final,
shall be subject to petition and appeal to the Director. Applicants,
their
attorneys or agents shall take up the problems arising from their
pending
applications only with the respective Examiners in charge and with no
other
person in the Office.
Rule 607. Examination of the
application;
action by the Examiner. (a) If, after the examination,
the applicant is found not entitled to registration for any reason, he
will be so notified by the Examiner. He will be advised of the reasons
therefor and of any formal requirements or objections, and he will be
given
such information and references as may be helpful to him in the further
prosecution of his application.
(b) All
Examiners are required to include all
grounds of objection existing at the time of the issuance of an action
in that action. Piece meal action shall be prohibited.
Rule 608. Deletion and/or disclaimer
may
be required. The Examiners may require unregistrable
matter
to be deleted from the Drawing or disclaimed in the application, but
such
disclaimer shall not prejudice or affect the applicant’s rights then
existing
under some other law or thereafter arising in the disclaimed matter,
nor
shall such disclaimer prejudice or affect the applicant’s rights to
registration
on another application of later date, where the disclaimed matter has
become
distinctive of the applicant’s goods, business or services.
The
basic purpose of disclaimers is to make
of record, that a significant element of a composite mark is not being
exclusively appropriated by itself apart from the composite. The
following
portions of a mark when comprising less than the entire mark, must be
disclaimed
to permit registration, namely (a) a generic term; (b) a descriptive
matter
in the composite mark; (c) a matter which does not function as a
trademark,
or service mark or a trade name.
Rule 609. Interview with the
Examiners:
when no interview is permitted. Interviews with Examiners
concerning
applications pending before the Office can be held only upon written
request
specifying the query he would want to propound and after payment of the
required fee, but in respect of which the Examiner has the discretion
to
grant the interview or instead reply to the query in writing. The
interview
shall take place within the premises of the Office and during regular
office
hours as specified by the Examiner. All interviews or conferences
with Examiners shall be reduced to writing and signed by the Examiner
and
the applicant immediately after the conference. Such
writing
shall form part of the records of the Office. Interviews for the
discussion of pending applications shall not be held prior to the first
official action thereon.
Rule 610. Period for response,
action by
applicant. The applicant has two (2) months from the mailing date
of
any action of the Examiner to respond thereto. Such response may be
made
with or without amendment and must include such proper action by the
applicant
as the nature of the action of the Examiner and the condition of the
case
may require. The period to respond may be extended upon written
request
and upon payment of the required fee but in no case shall the total
period
to respond exceed four (4) months from the mailing date of the
Examiner’s
action requiring the response.
Rule 611. Communications other than
the
original. “Communication” shall mean any response filed with
the Office except compliance with filing date requirements. The Office
shall accept communications to it by telecopier, or by electronic
means.
When communications are made by telefacsimile, the reproduction of the
signature, or the reproduction of the seal together with, where
required,
the indication in letters of the name of the natural person whose seal
is used, must appear. Within twenty-four (24) hours from receipt
of the telefacsimile by a machine of the Office, the Examiner
shall
confirm the date of receipt of the telefacsimile by means of a notice
requiring
the applicant to pay the cost, as may be established by the Office from
time to time, incurred by the Office to enable the Office to receive
such
telefacsimile. The original copy such communication and the payment of
the cost herein provided must be received by the Office within one (1)
month from date of receipt of the telefacsimile. Otherwise, the
communication
shall be deemed withdrawn and expunged from the records. In all
cases,
the burden of proof lies on the applicant that such documents have been
received by the Office.
Rule 612. Re-examination.
After response by the applicant, the application will be re-examined or
reconsidered by the Examiner, and if the registration is again refused
or formal requirements insisted upon, but not stated to be final, the
applicant
may respond again.
Rule 613. Final action.
On the first or any subsequent re-examination or reconsideration, the
Examiner
may state that the refusal of the registration or the insistence upon a
requirement is final. Thus, the applicant’s recourse is limited
to
an appeal to the Director or to a compliance with the requirement made
by the Examiner.
Rule 614. Abandonment; incomplete
response.
If an applicant fails to respond, or to submit a complete response,
within
the period given counted from the mailing date of an action of the
Examiner,
the application shall be deemed abandoned as of the day immediately
following
the last day of the aforesaid period.
Rule 615. Revival of abandoned
application.
(a) An abandoned application may be revived as a pending
application
within three (3) months from the date of abandonment, if it is shown to
the satisfaction of the Director, and upon payment of the required fee,
that the delay was due to fraud, accident, mistake, or excusable
negligence.
(b) A
request to revive an abandoned application
must be accompanied by a statement of the causes of the delay in
submitting
the complete response and by the proposed response, unless the same has
been previously filed. Any application not revived within the specified
time will be deemed forfeited upon the expiration of the three-month
period
to revive.
(c)
There shall be no revival of an abandoned
application that has been revived once before on the same issue.
Rule 616. Time less than four
months; when
request for extension should be made. (a) The
applicant
may be required to prosecute his application in a time shorter than
four
months but not less than one (1) month from the mailing date of the
examiner’s
action whenever such shorter time is deemed necessary or
expedient.
Unless the applicant is notified in writing that response is required
in
less than four months, a maximum period of four months is allowed.
(b)
The time for reply, when a time less
than four months has been set, will be extended only for good and
sufficient
cause and for a reasonable time specified. Any request for such
extension
must be filed on or before the day on which the response of the
applicant
is due. In all cases, the maximum time within which to submit a
response
to an action shall not exceed four months from the mailing date of the
action.
Rule 617. Suspension of action
by
the Bureau. Action by the Bureau may be suspended upon
written request of the applicant for good and sufficient cause, for a
reasonable
time specified and upon payment of the required fee. The Examiner
may grant only one suspension, and any further suspension shall be
subject
to the approval of the Director. An Examiner’s action, which is
awaiting
a response by the applicant, shall not be subject to suspension.
Rule 618. Provisional
Allowance.
If the only issue remaining in an application based on foreign
application
claiming priority right is the submission of a certified copy of the
foreign
or home registration, the Examiner may provisionally allow the
application
and suspend the submission of the certified copy of the foreign or home
registration for a period not exceeding twelve (12) months counted from
allowance. On request of the applicant and subject to the approval of
the
Director and payment of the required fee, said twelve month period may
be extended for good cause by an additional period not exceeding twelve
(12) months. Should the applicant fail to submit the certified
copy
of the foreign or home registration within the maximum period of twenty
four (24) months counted from allowance, the applicant may waive his
claim
to priority right in writing and request that the application be
considered
based on intent to use. Said waiver and request shall be filed
within
two (2) months, without extension, counted from the expiration of the
maximum
twenty four (24) month period without need of any notice from the
Office.
Otherwise, the application shall be deemed forfeited. The
declaration
of actual use shall be filed within twelve (12) months, without
extension
and without need of notice, counted from expiration of the twenty four
(24) month period. Otherwise, the application shall be refused by
the Director motu proprio.
Rule 619. Express
abandonment.
An application may be expressly abandoned by filing with the Bureau a
written
declaration of abandonment signed by the applicant himself or by the
assignee
of record.
CHAPTER 3. AMENDMENTS TO THE
APPLICATION;
RESPONSE TO OBJECTIONS OF THE EXAMINER.
Rule 620. Amendments to the
application.
The application may be amended to correct formalities, to
overcome
objections made by the Examiner, or for other reasons arising in the
course
of examination.
Rule 621. Amendments to description
or
drawing. Amendments to the description or drawing
of the mark may be permitted only if warranted by the mark as shown on
the labels originally filed, but may not be made if the nature of the
mark
is changed thereby.
Rule 622. Manner of making the
amendment.
In every amendment the exact word or words to be stricken out or
inserted
must be specified and the precise point indicated where the erasure or
insertion is to be made. All such amendments must be on sheets of paper
separate from the papers previously filed, and written on only one side
of the paper.
Rule 623. Prohibition against
marking of
papers or records of the Office by applicants. The applicant
or his representative shall not make any erasure, addition, insertion,
or mutilations of any papers or records of the Office.
PART
7 PUBLICATION,
ALLOWANCE AND ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION
Rule 700. Publication
in the IPO Gazette; end of jurisdiction of the Examiner. An
application
for registration is subject to opposition proceeding before issuance of
the certificate of registration. Thus, after examination or
re-examination
of an application for registration, if it should appear to the Examiner
in charge of the examination thereof that the applicant is entitled to
have his mark registered, the mark will, upon the recommendation of
said
Examiner, be ordered by the Director to be published in the IPO Gazette
for opposition, and the applicant notified of such action.
The jurisdiction
of an Examiner over an application ceases after the Director has
ordered
the mark to be published for opposition.
Rule 701. Examiner
may petition for the remand to his jurisdiction, of an allowed
application.
After allowance and within one (1) month from publication of
the allowed
application, the Examiner may again exercise jurisdiction over an
application
upon petition by him to the Director on the ground of newly discovered
ex parte objections to the registration of the mark.
After an application
has been remanded to the Examiner, any amendment recommended by the
Examiner
may be approved by the Director and may be made without withdrawing the
allowance, provided the payment for the issuance of the certificate has
not been received by the Office.
Rule 702. Examiner
to be in charge of publication for opposition; applications
confidential
prior to publication. The Examiner shall be in charge of all
matters relating to the publication for opposition of all marks and
trade
names ordered by the Director to be published as provided in these
Regulations.
Access to files of
pending applications will not be given to anyone prior to publication
for
opposition of the mark or trade name or name and other mark of
ownership
stamped on containers, without the written authority of the
applicant.
However, an index of pending applications stating the name and address
of the applicant, a description of the mark or trade name or name and
other
mark of ownership, the goods, business or service or container with
which
the mark or trade name or name or other mark of ownership is used, the
class number, the application number and filing date of the application
will be available for public inspection as soon as practicable after
filing.
Rule 703. Allowance
of application and issuance of certificate of registration.
(a) Upon certification by the Director of the Bureau of Legal Affairs
that
no notice of opposition, whether or not verified and whether or not by
means of the original copy, has been filed within one (1) month from
the
date of release for circulation of the IPO Gazette publishing the
application
for opposition, and upon payment of the required fee, the office
shall issue the certificate of registration. The Director of the
Bureau of Legal Affairs shall issue such certification within two (2)
months
from the date of release for ciriculation of any IPO Gazette publishing
applications for opposition. The issuance of the certificate of
registration
shall be published in the IPO Gazette and shall be entered on the
records of the Office.
(b) If the
application is deficient in any formal matter relating to form,
documents,
or other papers necessary for the preparation and issuance of the
certificate
of registration or for the publication of such registration, the
Examiner
shall send a notice thereof to the applicant. The applicant shall
complete such deficiency within two (2) months from mailing date of the
notice; otherwise the application shall be declared abandoned.
The
abandoned application, however, may be revived subject to the
requirements
of these Regulations.
PART
8 EFFECT
AND NOTICE
OF REGISTRATION
Rule 800.
Rights conferred. (a) The owner of a
registered mark
shall have the exclusive right to prevent all third parties not having
the owner’s consent from using in the course of trade identical or
similar
signs or containers for goods or services which are identical or
similar
to those in respect of which the mark is registered where such use
would
result in a likelihood of confusion. In case of the use of
an identical sign for identical goods or services, a likelihood of
confusion
shall be presumed.
(b) The exclusive
right of the owner of a well-known mark which is registered in the
Philippines,
shall extend to goods and services which are not similar to those in
respect
of which the mark is registered: 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.
Rule
801.
Duration. A certificate of registration shall remain in force
for ten (10) years; Provided, That, without need of any notice from the
Office, the registrant shall file a declaration of actual use and
evidence
to that effect, or shall show valid reasons based on the existence of
obstacles
to such use, as prescribed by these Regulations, within one (1) year
from
the fifth anniversary of the date of the registration of the
mark.
Otherwise, the Office shall remove the mark from the Register.
Within
one (1) month from receipt of the declaration of actual use or reason
for
non-use, the Examiner shall notify the registrant of the action taken
thereon
such as acceptance or refusal.
Rule
802.
Non-use of a mark when excused. (a) Non-use of a
mark may be excused if caused by circumstances arising independently of
the will of the trademark owner. Lack of funds shall not excuse
non-use
of a mark.
(b) The special
circumstances to excuse non-use in affidavits of non-use shall not be
accepted
unless they are clearly beyond the control of the registrant such as
the
prohibition of sale imposed by government regulation.
Rule
803.
Use of a mark in a different form. The use of the
mark in
a form different from the form in which it is registered, which does
not
alter its distinctive character, shall not be ground for cancellation
or
removal of the mark and shall not diminish the protection granted to
the
mark.
Rule
804.
Use of a mark for goods belonging to the class
registered.
The use of a mark in connection with one or more of the goods or
services
belonging to the class in respect of which the mark is registered shall
prevent its cancellation or removal in respect of all other goods or
services
of the same class.
Rule
805.
Use of a mark by related company. The use of a mark
by a company
related with the registrant or applicant shall inure to the latter’s
benefit,
and such use shall not affect the validity of such mark or of its
registration:
Provided, That such mark is not used in such manner as to deceive the
public.
If use of a mark by a person is controlled by the registrant or
applicant
with respect to the nature and quality of the goods or services, such
use
shall inure to the benefit of the registrant or applicant.
Rule 806. Certificate
of registration; records and copies in registered cases.
A certificate of registration of a mark shall be prima facie evidence
of
the validity of the registration, the registrant’s ownership of the
mark,
and of the registrant’s exclusive right to use the same in connection
with
the goods or services and those that are related thereto specified in
the
certificate.
After a mark or trade
name or name or other mark of ownership has been registered, the
statement,
the drawings, and all documents relating to the case are subject to
general
inspection, and copies will be furnished upon payment of the required
fees.
Rule 807. Contents
of certificate of registration. The certificate of registration of
a mark shall include a reproduction of the mark and shall mention its
number,
the name and address of the registered owner and, if the registered
owner’s
address is outside the country, his address for service within the
country;
the dates of application and registration; if priority is claimed, an
indication
of this fact, and the number, date and country of the application,
basis
of the priority claims; the list of goods or services in respect
of which registration has been granted, with the indication of the
corresponding
class or classes; and such other data as the Regulations may prescribe
from time to time.
Rule
808.
Use of indications by third parties for purposes other than
those for
which the mark is used. Registration of the mark shall not
confer
on the registered owner the right to preclude third parties from using
bona fide their names, addresses, pseudonyms, a geographical name, or
exact
indications concerning the kind, quality, quantity, destination, value,
place of origin, or time of production or of supply, of their goods or
services: Provided, That such use is confined to the purposes of
mere identification or information and cannot mislead the public as to
the source of the goods or services.
PART
9 OTHER
PROCEEDINGS AFFECTING
THE
APPLICATION OR REGISTRATION
CHAPTER 1.
VOLUNTARY SURRENDER OR CANCELLATION, AMENDMENT, DISCLAIMER BY THE
REGISTRANT
OR BY ASSIGNEE OF RECORD, CORRECTION OF MISTAKES.
Rule 900. Jurisdiction
of the Examiner. The Examiner shall have original jurisdiction
over
all matters relating to voluntary surrender, voluntary cancellation,
voluntary
amendment, and voluntary disclaimer of registration, and his decisions,
when final, shall be subject to appeal to the Director in the
same
manner that final decisions of the Examiners in respect of applications
for registration may be appealed to the Director. In all such
matters,
registrants or assignees, their attorneys or agents will deal with him
exclusively, or with such other officials and employees whom the
Director
may designate to assist him.
Rule 901. Cancellation
upon application by registrant. Upon application of the
registrant,
the Office may permit any registration to be surrendered for
cancellation,
and upon cancellation the appropriate entry shall be made in the
records
of the Office. The application for cancellation of registration
shall
be under oath and shall be duly authenticated or legalized if the
registrant
is a non-resident.
Rule
902.
Amendment or disclaimer of registration. (a)
Upon application
of the registrant and payment of the prescribed fee, the Office, for
good
cause, may permit any registration to be amended or to be disclaimed in
part: Provided, That the amendment or disclaimer does not alter
materially
the character of the mark. Appropriate entry shall be made in the
records of the Office upon the certificate of registration or, if said
certificate is lost or destroyed, upon a certified copy thereof.
(b) Upon application
of the registrant and payment of the prescribed fee, a replacement
certificate
may be issued by the Office stating on its face the fact that it is a
replacement
and bearing the same entry regarding the amendment or disclaimer
that was made on the certified copy of a lost or destroyed
certificate.
A duplicate original of such replacement certificate shall be kept in
the
records of the Office.
Rule
903.
Correction of mistakes made by the Office.
Whenever
a material mistake in a registration incurred through the fault of the
Office is clearly disclosed by the records of the Office, a certificate
stating the fact and nature of such mistake shall be issued without
charge,
recorded and a printed copy thereof shall be attached to each printed
copy
of the registration. Such corrected registration shall thereafter
have the same effect as the original certificate; or in the discretion
of the Director of the Administrative, Financial and Human Resource
Development
Service Bureau a new certificate of registration may be issued in
accordance
with these Regulations and without charge. All certificates of
correction
heretofore issued and the registration to which they are attached shall
have the same force and effect as if such certificates and their
issuance
had been authorized by the IP Code.
Rule 904.
Corrections of mistakes made by applicant. (a) Whenever
a mistake is made in a registration and such mistake occurred in good
faith
through the fault of the applicant, the Office may issue a certificate
upon the payment of the prescribed fee: Provided, That the correction
does
not involve any change in the registration that requires republication
of the mark.
(b) The application
for correction must be under oath and must specify the mistake for
which
correction is sought, the manner in which it arose and must state that
it occurred in good faith.
(c) A
copy
of the certificate of correction shall be attached to each copy of the
registration.
Rule 905. Surrender,
cancellation, amendment, disclaimer, and correction to be given
publicity.
Notice of the cancellation, surrender, amendment, disclaimer, and
correction
shall be published in the IPO Gazette. The cost of publication
shall
be for the account of the registrant or assignee of record, except when
the notice of correction refers to a mistake of the Office.
CHAPTER
2. RECORDING OF ASSIGNMENTS OF REGISTRATION OR ANY OTHER
INSTRUMENT
AFFECTING THE TITLE TO ANY REGISTERED MARK, INCLUDING LICENSES;
DIVISION
OF REGISTRATION.
Rule
906.
Assignment and transfer of application and registration.
An application
for registration of a mark, or its registration, may be assigned or
transferred
with or without the transf*er of the business using the mark.
Such assignment or
transfer shall, however, be null and void if it is liable to mislead
the
public particularly as regards the nature, source, manufacturing
process,
characteristics, or suitability for their purpose, of the goods or
services
to which the mark is applied.
Rule
907.
Form of assignment or transfer. (a) The
assignment of
the application for registration of a mark, or of its registration,
shall
be notarized and require the signature of the applicant, registrant or
the assignee of record in case of subsequent assignment.
Transfers
by mergers or other forms of succession may be evidenced by the deed of
merger or by any document supporting such transfer.
Rule
908.
Recordal of assignment or transfer. Assignments and
transfers
shall have no effect against third parties until they are recorded at
the
Office. Assignments and transfers of registration of marks shall
be recorded at the Office on payment of the prescribed fee; assignment
and transfers of applications for registration shall, on payment of the
same fee, be provisionally recorded, and the mark, when registered,
shall
be in the name of the assignee or transferee.
Rule 909. Assignment,
other instruments affecting the registration, or license, and
translation,
to be submitted in duplicate. The original document of
assignment,
other instrument or license and its translation, together with a signed
duplicate thereof, shall be submitted. After recordal, the Office
shall retain the signed duplicate, and return the original to the party
filing the instrument with a notation of the fact of recording.
Rule
910.
Date of receipt of instrument to be recorded considered its
date of
recording. The date of recording of an assignment, other
document
or license is the date of its receipt at the Office in proper form and
accompanied by the full recording fee.
Rule 911. A
new
certificate of registration must be issued to assignee.
Upon written request of an assignee of record, and upon payment of the
required fee, a new certificate of registration for the unexpired
period
of the registration must be issued to the assignee.
Rule 912. Action
may be taken by assignee of record in any proceeding in
Office.
Any action in any proceeding in the Office which may or must be
taken
by a registrant or applicant may be taken by the assignee to the
exclusion
of the original owner, registrant, applicant or earlier assignee,
provided
the assignment has been recorded. Unless such assignment has been
recorded, no assignee will be recognized to take action.
Rule
913.
Clearance of Trademark License Agreement prior to
recordal.
Any trademark
license
agreement shall be applied for clearance with the Documentation
Information
and Technology Transfer Bureau (DITTB) of the Office and shall be
recorded
only upon certification by the Director of the DITTB that the agreement
does not violate Sections 87 and 88 of the IP Code.
Rule
914.
Division of registration. At any time during the
life of a
certificate of registration, and upon payment of the required fee, the
owner of the registered mark may request in writing and under oath that
the registration be divided. The request must state the name and
address of the owner of record or his representative of record, the
mark,
the number and date of issuance of the certificate to be divided, the
goods
and/or services into which the registration is to be divided specifying
the number of the class of said goods and/or services according to the
Nice Classification.
The Bureau may grant
the request to divide the registration provided that the division shall
not involve any change in the registration that requires republication
of the mark and provided that a single class shall not be
subdivided.
Rule
915.
Cancellation of original certificate and issuance of transfer
certificates
of registration. Upon approval of the request to divide a
registration
and payment of the required fee, the Director shall order that the
original
certificate be cancelled and new certificates of registration be issued
for the remainder of the term covered by the original certificate.
Rule
916.
Contents of transfer certificates of registration.
The transfer
certificates of registration shall include a reproduction of the mark
and
shall mention their numbers, the name and address of the registered
owner,
and if the registered owner’s address is outside the country, his
address
for service within the country; the name of the registered owner of the
original certificate in case the owner of the transfer certificate be a
different person; the date of request for division of the original
registration;
the date of the issuance of the transfer certificate of registration;
the
date of filing and registration of the original registration; if
priority
is claimed, an indication of this fact, and the number, date and
country
of the application which is the basis of the priority claims; the list
of goods or services covered by the transfer certificate of
registration
with the indication of the corresponding class or classes; and such
other
data as the Regulations may prescribe from time to time.
CHAPTER
3.
RENEWAL OF REGISTRATION
Rule
917.
Request for renewal. A certificate of
registration may
be renewed for periods of ten (10) years at its expiration upon payment
of the prescribed fee and upon filing of a request. The request
shall
contain the following indications:
(a) An
indication
that renewal is sought;
(b) The
name and
address of the registrant or his successor-in-interest, hereafter
referred
to as the “right holder”;
(c) The
registration
number of the registration concerned;
(d) The
filing date
of the application which resulted in the registration concerned to be
renewed;
(e) Where
the right
holder has a representative, the name and address of that
representative;
(f) The
names of
the recorded goods or services for which the renewal is requested or
the
names of the recorded goods or services for which the renewal is not
requested,
grouped according to the classes of the Nice Classification to which
that
group of goods or services belongs and presented in the order of the
classes
of the said Classifications; and
(g) A
signature by
the right holder or his representative.
(h) In
case there
has been material variation in the manner of display, five (5) sets of
the new labels must be submitted with the application.
Rule
918.
When to file request for renewal. Such request shall
be in
Filipino or English and may be made at any time within six (6) months
before
the expiration of the period for which the registration was issued or
renewed,
or it may be made within six (6) months after such expiration on
payment
of the additional fee herein prescribed.
Rule 919. Jurisdiction
of the Examiner. The Examiner shall have original
jurisdiction
over applications for renewal registration, and his decisions, when
final,
are subject to appeal to the Director under the conditions specified in
these Regulations for appeals to the Director from the final decisions
of the Examiners in respect of applications for registration. If the
Office
refuses to renew the registration, it shall notify the registrant of
his
refusal and the reasons therefor.
Rule 920. Need
for appointing a resident agent. If the registrant, assignee
or other owner of the mark which is the subject of a petition for
renewal
registration is not domiciled in the Philippines, and if the
petition
for renewal is being filed by a person who is not his representative or
resident-agent of record, the power of attorney appointing the person
filing
the petition as the representative of the registrant must be filed and,
upon payment of the required fee, must be recorded before the Office
can
act upon the petition for renewal.
Rule 921. Renewal
of prior Act registration; use and proof thereof, required.
Marks registered under Republic Act No. 166 shall remain in force and
effect
but shall be deemed to have been granted under the IP Code and shall be
renewed within the time and manner provided for renewal of registration
by these Regulations; provided, that marks whose registration have a
remaining
duration as of January 1, 1998 of more than six and one-half (6
½)
years shall be required to submit the declaration and evidence of
actual
use prescribed in these Regulations within one (1) year following the
tenth
and fifteenth anniversaries of the registration or renewal registration
under Republic Act No. 166; provided, further, that marks whose
registrations
have a remaining duration of six and one-half (6 ½) years or
less
may no longer be subject to the requirement of declaration and evidence
of use but shall be renewed within the time and in the manner provided
for renewal of registration by these Regulations and, upon renewal,
shall
be reclassified in accordance with the Nice Classification. The renewal
shall be for a duration of ten (10) years. Trade names and marks
registered in the Supplemental Register under Republic Act No.
166
whose registration, including any renewal thereof, was subsisting as of
January 1, 1998 shall remain in force but shall no longer be subject to
renewal.
Rule
922.
Prior Act certificate of registration to be surrendered.
With
the application for the renewal of a registration made under Republic
Act
No. 166 the certificate of registration to be renewed must be
surrendered
to the Office, if the official copy of such certificate of registration
is not in the files of the Office.
After he has surrendered
the certificate of registration granted under Republic Act No. 166, the
applicant for renewal may, if he so desires, obtain a certified copy
thereof,
upon payment of the usual fees.
Rule
923.
Refusal of renewal registration; appeal to the Director.
The
application for renewal may be refused by the Examiner for any valid
reason.
The application for renewal may then be completed or amended in
response
to the refusal, or the case may be appealed to the Director if the
refusal
has become final.
Rule
924.
Certificate of renewal of registration. The Office
may issue
a certificate of renewal of registration in all cases where the request
for renewal is approved and the registrant requests in writing and pays
the required fee for the issuance of said certificate. The
certificate
of renewal of registration shall contain the number of the certificate
of registration and the mark being renewed, the date of original
issuance
thereof, the duration of the renewal registration, all the data
required
to be contained in a certificate of registration provided in these
Regulations
including any limitation contained in the order of the Director
approving
the renewal of the registration.
PART
10 REGISTRATION
OF STAMPED OR MARKED CONTAINER
Rule 1000.
Rules on registration of trademarks and service marks to apply.
Unless otherwise provided by these Regulations, the registration of
container
marks shall be the same as that of trademarks and service marks.
Rule
1001.
“Stamped or marked container” defined. “Stamped or
marked
container” means any container of goods upon which a mark is impressed
or molded which will give a distinctive effect, provided that the mark
cannot be deleted or removed from the container. The stamp or
mark
on the container must be legible and visible for registration.
Rule
1002.
No drawing required. No drawing is required for
this registration.
In lieu of the drawing, two (2) photographs of the container, duly
signed
by the applicant or his representative, showing clearly and legibly the
mark sought to be registered, shall be submitted. The photographs
shall be of the same size as required for trademarks and service
marks.
No “sight” is required.
Rule
1003.
No labels required; sample may be required. If the
Examiner
so requires, the applicant or his representative shall bring a sample
of
the container to the Bureau on a date and time specified by the
Examiner.
The sample shall not be left in the Office and shall be brought by the
applicant or his representative with him immediately after the viewing
thereof by the Examiner.
PART
11 PETITIONS
AND
APPEAL
Rule 1100.
Nature of the function of Examiners. The function of
determining
whether or not an application for registration or renewal thereof
should
be allowed or denied under the facts disclosed in the application and
in
the references consulted by the Examiner and under the applicable law
(statutory
and decisional), is a quasi-judicial function and involves the exercise
of judicial discretion.
Thus, with respect
to such function, the Director cannot lawfully exercise direct control,
direction and supervision over the Examiners but only general
supervision,
exercised through a review of the recommendation they may make for the
grant of registration and of other actions, and through a review of
their
adverse decisions by petition or appeal.
Rule
1101.
Petition to the Director to question the correctness of the
action of
an Examiner on a matter not subject to appeal. Petition
may be filed with the Director from any repeated action or requirement
of the Examiner which is not subject to appeal and in other appropriate
circumstances. Such petition, and any other petition which may be
filed, must contain a statement of the facts involved and the point or
points to be reviewed. Briefs or memoranda, if any, in support
thereof
should accompany or be embodied in the petition. The Examiner, as
the case may be, may be directed by the Director to furnish a written
statement
setting forth the reasons for his decision upon the matter averred in
the
petition, supplying a copy thereof to the petitioner. The mere
filing
of a petition will not stay the maximum period of four months counted
from
the mailing date of the Examiner’s action subject of the appeal for
replying
to an Examiner’s action nor act as a stay of other proceedings.
Rule
1102.
Appeals to the Director. Every applicant for the
registration
of a mark or other mark of ownership may, upon the final refusal of the
Examiner to allow registration, appeal the matter to the
Director.
Appeal may also be taken to the Director from any adverse action of the
Examiner in any matter over which these Regulations give original
jurisdiction
to the Examiner. A second adverse decision by the Examiner on the
same grounds may be considered as final by the applicant, petitioner,
or
registrant for purposes of appeal.
Rule
1103.
Effect of a final decision of an Examiner which is not
appealed.
A final decision of an Examiner which is not appealed to the Director
within
the time permitted, or, if appealed, the appeal is not prosecuted,
shall
be considered as final to all intents and purposes, and shall have the
effect of res judicata in respect of any subsequent action on
the
same subject matter.
If an application
is considered abandoned for failure of the applicant to respond to an
action
of the examiner on the merits e.g. citation of confusingly similar
marks,
the order declaring the application as abandoned which has become final
shall likewise have the effect of res judicata.
Rule
1104.
Time and manner of appeal. Any petition or appeal
must be
taken by filing the petition in duplicate or a notice of appeal, as the
case may be, and payment of the required fee within two (2)
months
from the mailing date of the action appealed from, must specify the
various
grounds upon which the appeal is taken, and must be signed by the
petitioner
or appellant or by his attorney of record. The period herein provided
shall,
in no case, exceed the maximum period of four (4) months from the
mailing
date of the action appealed from.
Rule
1105.
Appellant’s brief required. In case of an appeal, the
appellant
shall, within two (2) months, without extension, from the date of
filing
of the notice of appeal, file a brief of the authorities and arguments
on which he relies to maintain his appeal. On failure to file the
brief within the time allowed, the appeal shall stand dismissed.
Rule
1106.
The Examiner’s answer. The Examiner shall furnish a
written
statement in answer to the petition or appellant’s brief, as the case
may
be, within two (2) months from the order of the Director
directing
him to submit such statement. Copy of such statement shall be
served
on the petitioner or appellant by the Examiner.
Rule
1107.
Appellant’s reply. In case of an appeal, the
appellant may
file a reply brief directed only to such new points as may be raised in
the Examiner’s answer, within one (1) month from the date copy of such
answer is received by him.
Rule 1108. Appeal
to the Director General. The decision or order of the
Director
shall become final and executory fifteen (15) days after receipt of a
copy
thereof by the appellant unless within the said period, a motion
for reconsideration is filed with the Director or an appeal to the
Director
General has been perfected by filing a notice of appeal and payment of
the required fee.
Only one motion for
reconsideration of the decision or order of the Director shall be
allowed.
Rule 1109. Appellant’s
brief required. The appellant shall, within one (1) month
from
the date of filing of the notice of appeal, file a brief of the
authorities
and arguments on which he relies to maintain his appeal. On
failure
to file the brief within the time allowed, the appeal shall stand
dismissed.
Rule
1110. Director’s comment. The Director shall
submit
within one (1) month his comments on the appellant’s brief if so
required
by the Director General.
Rule
1111.
Appeal to the Court of Appeals. The decision of the
Director
General shall be final and executory unless an appeal to the Court of
Appeals
is perfected in accordance with the Rules of Court applicable to
appeals
from decisions of Regional Trial Courts. No motion for
reconsideration
of the decision or order of the Director General shall be allowed.
FINAL
PROVISIONS
Section 1.
Correspondence. The following regulations shall
apply to correspondence
between registrants/applicants and the Office or the Bureau:
(a)
Business
to be transacted in writing. All business with the Office or
Bureau shall be transacted in writing. Actions will be based
exclusively
on the written record. No attention will be paid to any alleged
oral
promise, stipulation, or understanding.
(b)
Personal attendance
of applicants and other persons unnecessary. Unless otherwise
provided, the personal attendance of applicants and other persons at
the
Office is unnecessary. Their business can be transacted by
correspondence.
(c)
Correspondence
to be in the name of the Director of Trademarks. All Office
letters
with respect to matters within the jurisdiction of the Bureau must be
sent
in the name of the Director of Trademarks. All letters and other
communications intended with respect to such matters must be addressed
to him and if addressed to any other officer, they will ordinarily be
returned.
(d)
Separate letter
for each case. In every case, a separate letter shall be
written
in relation to each distinct subject of inquiry.
(e)
Letter relating
to applications. When a letter concerns an application it
shall
state the name of the applicant, the mark or trade name or name or
other
mark of ownership sought to be registered, the application number and
the
filing date of the application.
(f)
Letter relating
to registrations. When the letter concerns a registered mark,
it shall state the name of the registrant, the mark registered, the
number
and date of the certificate of registration, and the classes of goods
or
services according to the Nice Classification.
(g)
Subjects on
which information cannot be given. The Office cannot respond
to inquiries as to whether or not a mark is acceptable for registration
in advance of the filing of an application.
On the propriety of
making an application for the registration of a mark, the applicant
must
judge for himself or consult an attorney-at-law. The Office is
open
to him, and its records pertaining to all registrations granted may be
inspected either by himself or by any attorney or agent he may call to
his aid. Further than this the Office can render him no
assistance
until his application comes regularly before it in the manner
prescribed
by law and by these Regulations. A copy of the law, rules, or
circular
of information, with a section marked, set to the individual making an
inquiry of the character referred to, is intended as a respectful
answer
by the Office.
Examiners' digests
are not open to public inspection.
The foregoing shall
not, in any way, be interpreted to prohibit the Office from undertaking
an information dissemination activity in whatever format, to increase
awareness
on the trademark law.
Section
2.
Fees and charges to be prepaid; fees and charges payable in
advance.
Express charges, freight, postage, telephone, telefacsimile
including
cost of paper and other related expenses, and all other charges on any
matter sent to the Office must be prepaid in full.
Otherwise,
the Office shall not receive nor perform any action on such
matters.
The filing fees and
all other fees and charges payable to the Office shall be collected by
the Office in advance of any service to be rendered.
Section 3. Applications
pending on effective date of the IP Code. The following
regulations
shall apply to applications pending on the effective date of the IP
Code
on January 1, 1998 (referred to in this Section as “pending
applications”):
Section 3.1.
Amendment of pending applications. On or before December 15,
1998, all pending applications may be amended, if practicable, to bring
them under the provisions of the IP Code. Accordingly, applicants with
pending applications for registration in the former Supplemental
Register
who wish to pursue the grant of registration may amend their
applications
to comply with requirements for registration under the IP Code.
Section
3.2.
Filing date of pending applications; declaration of actual use. Pending
applications shall retain their priority date or original date of
filing
with the Bureau of Patents Trademarks and Technology Transfer.
Applicants
which elected to prosecute their applications under Republic Act No.
166
and its implementing rules and regulations under which they were
required
to submit proof of use of the mark, particularly with reference to
applications
for registration based on use in the Philippines, shall file the
corresponding
declaration of actual use with evidence to that effect as prescribed by
these Regulations, without need of any notice from the Office, within
three
(3) years from the effectivity of these Regulations, without
possibility
of extension. Otherwise, the application shall be refused or the mark
shall
be removed from the register by the Director motu proprio.
Section 3.3.
Processing
of pending applications. Pending applications amended in
accordance
with this Section shall be proceeded with and registration thereof
granted
in accordance with these Regulations. Where there are no
applicable
provisions in the IP Code and these Regulations, pending applications
that
are not amended in accordance with this Section shall be proceeded with
and registration thereof granted in accordance with the laws and
regulations
under which they were filed.
Section
3.3.1.
Interference. In all cases where interference
could have been
declared under Republic Act No. 166, as amended, and its implementing
rules
and regulations, as amended, but the same can not be declared such as
when
one of the applications has been amended and prosecuted under the IP
Code
while the other application or applications were not, the application
which
first meets all the requirements for registration shall be allowed and
published for opposition in the IPO Gazette in accordance with these
Regulations.
The other applicant or applicants shall have the right to file a notice
of opposition, without need of paying the filing fee, to determine
whether
or not any of the applicant/s and/or oppositor/s has the right to the
registration
of the mark, and, all other issues including the registrability of the
mark.
Section 3.4.
Duration of registration. A certificate of registration granted to
an application filed on or before December 31, 1997 and therefore
pending
on the effective date of the IP Code on January 1, 1998 shall be
subject
to the same conditions for maintenance as provided in these Regulations
and shall have a term of twenty (20) years.
Section
3.5.
Duration of renewal of registration granted under Republic
Act No. 166.
The renewal of a registration granted under Republic Act
No. 166 shall
have the same term of ten (10) years and shall be subject to the same
requirements
for renewal as a registration granted under the IP Code.
Section 3.6.
Registration
in the Supplemental Register. In compliance with the State policy
declared
in the IP Code, the IPO shall endeavor to issue certificates of
registration
that can stand up to scrutiny in infringement and other cases.
Considering
that (i) marks or trade names that are not registrable on the principal
register under Republic Act No. 166 are registrable in the Supplemental
Register; (ii) marks or trade names not registrable on the said
principal
register are not registrable under the IP Code; and, (iii)
the Supplemental Register was abolished by the IP Code, all
applications
for registration in the Supplemental Register which do not meet
requirements
for registration under the IP Code shall be rejected.
Section
3.7.
Renewal of a registration in the Supplemental Register. The
following
regulations shall apply to the renewal of a registration in the
Supplemental
Register under Republic Act No. 166:
Section
3.7.1.
Registrations subsisting on January 1, 1998. The
registration
or extension thereof, in the Supplemental Register under Republic Act
No.
166 of a trade name or mark which was subsisting on the effectivity of
the IP Code on January 1, 1998 shall remain in force for the entire
term
for which it was granted. However, such registration shall no longer be
subject to renewal.
Section
3.7.2.
Registrations, or extension thereof, with term ending on
or before December
31, 1997. The renewal of a registration, or any extension thereof,
in the Supplemental Register whose term ended on or before December 31,
1997 may be granted as follows:
(a) The
application
for renewal of registration in the Supplemental Register was seasonably
filed including full payment of the required fee pursuant to Section 15
of Republic Act No. 166 and the applicable regulations;
(b)
Full compliance
with all the requirements for renewal shall have been made by the
applicant
on or before December 31, 1998;
(c)
The renewal shall
be for a term of twenty (20) years counted from the date of expiration
of the registration or renewal subject of the application; and,
(d)
The renewal herein
granted shall no longer be subject to renewal.
Section
3.7.3. Notice to comply. For the effective implementation of
Section
3.7.2 (b), all concerned Examiners together with the Chief of the
Trademark
Examining Division of the former Bureau of Patents Trademarks and
Technology
Transfer have been directed to mail to the applicants the
corresponding
notice to comply with requirements for renewal of registration,
or
extension thereof, on or before October 31, 1998. Further,
applicants
who have not received said notice may request for a copy thereof from
the
examiner concerned who shall issue said copy within two (2) working
days
from receipt of the request.
Section
4.
Repeals. All rules and regulations, memoranda,
circulars,
and memorandum circulars and parts thereof inconsistent with these
Regulations
particularly the Rules of Practice in Trademark Cases, as
amended,
are hereby repealed: Provided, That such earlier rules or parts
thereof
shall be continued only for the purpose of prosecuting applications for
registration in the principal register filed as of December 31, 1997
wherein
the applicants expressly elected to prosecute said applications under
Republic
Act No. 166: and, Provided, further, That there are no applicable
provisions
in these Regulations.
Section 5.
Separability. If any provision in these Regulations or
application
of such provision to any circumstance is held invalid, the
remainder
of these Regulations shall not be affected thereby.
Section
6.
Effectivity. These rules and regulations shall take
effect
fifteen (15) days after publication in a newspaper of general
circulation.
Done this
____ day
of _____________ 1998.
APPROVED:
EMMA C.
FRANCISCO
Director General
As
Amended by Office Order No. 17 dated 01 December 1998.
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