San Miguel Food resolves 12 trademark disputes with Gold Label, IPOPHL says

THE Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) said San Miguel Food and Beverage, Inc. (SMFB) settled 12 trademark disputes with Gold Label Resources, Inc. (GLRI).

In a statement on Monday, IPOPHL said that the two parties signed a compromise agreement on Sept. 30, resolving the disputes.

“The agreement involves 12 cases and concerns, which consist of two under appeal, four as inter partes cases, and six lodged under Mediation Outside Litigation (MOL),” the IPOPHL said.

MOL is a service of the IPOPHL Bureau of Legal Affairs that allows parties to settle their intellectual property concerns before a dispute arises.

Agreements settled under the service are enforceable and legally binding. 

According to the IPOPHL, the dispute between the two parties started when the GLRI used SMFB’s registered trademark GOLD LABEL.

The Intellectual Property Code of 1997 provides that a trademark is not registrable if it resembles an existing registered market, as it is likely to deceive or cause confusion.

However, instead of elevating the dispute for adjudication, IPOPHL said that SMFB and GLRI agreed to enter the MOL and mediation tracks to expedite the resolution of their six pending cases.

IPOPHL said that the compromise agreement between SMFB and GLRI is a first of its kind under MOL.

“It paves the way for healthier relationships, encourages open communication, and ultimately contributes to a culture of collaboration,” IPOPHL Director General Rowel S. Barba said. — Justine Irish D. Tabile