You don’t want private businesses to use names of Filipino heroes and landmarks as trademark? Then file a law against it.
“It boggles my mind that the corporate executives of this company are so callous and un-Filipino that they would appropriate the names of Philippine heroes and landmarks for use on their alcoholic products which are known vices,” says Senator Pia Cayetano in reaction to local brewery Destileria Limtuaco’s apparent intent to use as brand names Rizal, GomBurZa, Intramuros, Banaue, Laguna, Vigan and Tacloban, reports Louis Bacani on Philstar.com.
The trademarks database of the Intellectual Property Office reveals that Destileria Limtuaco has applied for the use of these names. Cayetano also criticized IPO’s initial approval of the company’s application to register Intramuros as a liquor brand, adds the report.
The liquor company already sells Palawan rum, Maria Clara sangria, and Napoleon VSOP Brandy.
So why not create a law that prohibits use of these names?
In Thailand, for example, Trademark ACT BE 2534 specifies which names, words, logos, terms or emblems cannot be used by private companies—like official emblems of the Red Cross, national flags of Thailand or any other official flags, royal names, abbreviations of royal names, etc.
