Press & Media

Atty. Manahan is a recognized authority in intellectual property matters, by the press and media. His legal opinions and views have been sought after, primarily to educate the Filipino public in print, radio and television.

Legal milestones

• 8 December 2017: St. Mary’s Publishing Corporation and Jerry Vicente S. Catabijan v. M.Y. Intercontinental Trading Corporation, Tedwin T. Uy, Fujian New Technology Color Making and Printing Company, Ltd and Allianz Marketing and Publishing Corporation, Civil case No. 13-129631.
• 2007: Vazquez Building Systems Corporation and Edgardo G. Vazquez v. Avida Land Corporation, Civil Case No. Q-99-39485 Branch 90, Regional Trial Court of Quezon City sitting as a Special Commercial Court in the Decision dated 18 December 2007 finding an invention patent infringement had been committed by the Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) subsidiary Avida Land Corporation, applying the Doctrine of Equivalents.
• 1993: Yu v. Court of Appeals, 217 SCRA 328 where the Supreme Court upheld the property rights of an exclusive distributor. In this case the Supreme Court ruled:
  

  Injunction is the appropriate remedy to prevent a wrongful interference with contracts by strangers. Although its liability does not emanate from the four corners of the contract establishing the exclusive license agreement, in respect of which Unisia is not a party, its accountability is an independent act of generative of civil liability… To Our mind, the right to perform an exclusive distributorship agreement and to reap the profits resulting which a party may protect which may otherwise not be diminished, may, rendered illusory by the expedient act of utilizing or interposing a person or firm to obtain goods from the supplier to defeat the very purpose for which the exclusive distributorship was conceptualized, at the expense of the sole authorized distributor.

Related news articles and press coverage

• “Chinese firm guilty of ‘pirating’ books,” published in Philippine Daily Inquirer, 11 December 2017 by Marlon Ramos.
• “Court decision vs Chinese firm ‘provides model for copyright infringement,” published in Philippine Daily Inquirer, 10 December 2017 by Faye Orellana.
• “Does food plagiarism actually exist?” Features an interview with Atty. Manahan, 01 October 2016, by Eric Salta.
• June PANA GMM: Know Your Intellectual Property Rights and Protect Your Work. Forum and Panel on Intellectual Property.
• “Patent Update:Asia Pacific Region Emerging Trend in Patent Enforcement Litigation in the Philippines”, published in IP Community, APIC/JIII No. 11, p. 59, by Oscar M. Manahan.
• “Ayala subsidiary told to pay 140 million for copying modular houses” published in BusinessWorld, Corporate News, p. S1/7 by Ruby Anne M. Rubio, February 26, 2008.
• “Vazbuilt still open to work with ALI” published in Business-Mirror, Frontpage, by Rene Acosta, February 26, 2008.
• Guest Resource Person, TV Program “Diyos at Bayan” – Invention & Patent, with Bro. Eddie Villanueva and Ms. Kata Inocencio, QTV [Channel 11], February 20, 2008.
• “Pinoy inventors ask gov’t help to push inventions” published in People’s Tonight, News, p. 11 by Jess V. Antiporda, February 19, 2008.
• “‘Colonial Mentality’ dapat iwaksi para tayo’y umunlad”, published in Taliba, Opinyon, p. 5 Jess V. Antiporda, February 19, 2008.
• “A science, technology park rises”, published in BusinessWorld, Opinion, written by Atty. Augusto Bundang, February 15-16, 2008 issue.
• Guest Resource Person, TV Program “Kapihan ng Bayan” – on Inventions, NBN [Channel 4], held at Sulo Hotel, Quezon City, February 18, 2008.
• “Ayala Land ordered to pay 140M for copyright breach” published in The Daily Tribune, Business, p.9, by Chito L. Lozada, January 09, 2008.
• “Vazquez Firm foresees sales tripling in 2008” published in Manila Bulletin, Business, p. B-2, by Bernie Cahiles-Magkilat, January 09, 2008.
• “Modular housing inventor wins suit vs. Avida Land”, published in Philippine Architecture Engineering and Construction Record (PAENCOR), , p. 34, December 2007 Issue.
• “Court Orders Ayala Land to pay 140M” published in Manila Standard Today, Frontpage, December 26, 2007.
• “Inventor wins suit vs. firm” published in Philippine Daily Inquirer, Metro, p. A17 by Margaux C. Ortiz, December 26, 2007.
• “Tagumpay ng imbentor” published in Star, Punto Mo – Kwentong Palasyo Largabisto, p. 5 by Ely Saludar, December 28, 2007.
• “Ayala Land ordered to pay 96-M for patent violation” published in People’s Journal, Metro, p. 12 by Paul M. Gutierrez, December 26, 2007.
• “RP inventors urged to protect their ideas”, published in the Manila Bulletin by Robert R. Requintina,18 September 2007.
• “Lawyer Urges Entrepreneurs To Register Their Inventions“, written by Dinna Chan Vasquez, published in the Manila Standard, Business, 19 July 2007.
• Guest Writer, “The Enterprise” Magazine, “Patent as a Tool for Growth”, April 2007 issue.
• “Intellectual Property Rights Tackled” by William Diacan, Woman Today Asia, 16-31 March 2007.
• TV Guest, “The Morning Show” – on Trademarks and Patents, 06 March 2007, [Channel 4].
• “Filipino Intellectual Property Rights Awareness Still Low” by Chesca De La Cruz, Business Agenda, Manila Bulletin, 05 March 2007.
• Radio Guest, DZAR Interview – on Trademarks and Patents, 14 February 2007.

Seminars & workshops attended

• Guest Speaker @ the IPAAI Kapihan on “The Madrid Protocol: Boon or Bane?” with Deputy Director General Irineo M. Galicia [IPO, Makati City, Philippines]
• Moderator @ the IPAAI Kapihan on “Brand Name Policy Difference” with DOH Usec Padilla and Deputy Director General Irineo M. Galicia [IPO, Makati City, Philippines]
• Moderator @ the Breakfast Forum with DOH Hon. Alexander Padilla [Bahay ng Alumni, R. Magsaysay St., UP Diliman, Quezon City]
• “Europe Asia Patent Information Conference” [Suntec, Singapore]
• “Industrial Property Rights Training Course for Management” [AOTS Tokyo, Kenshu Center, Japan]
• IPR Seminar “The Use of Patents for National Development” [Dusit Hotel Nikko, Makati City, Philippines]
• IPR Seminar “Business of Creativity” [Dusit Hotel Nikko, Makati City, Philippines]
• “WIPO National Seminar on the Role of Marks, Brands & the Madrid System in Economic Development” [Manila, Philippines]
• “Seminar Workshop on IP” [IPO, Makati City, Philippines]
• “Practical Aspects of Local and International Licensing” by Licensing Executives Society (LES) Phils. [IPO, Makati City, Philippines]
• “1st Intellectual Property Rights & Public Health Forum in the Philippines” [IPO, Makati City, Philippines]
• “Protecting & Enforcing Intellectual Property Rights” [Dusit Hotel Nikko, Makati City, Phillipines]
• “Seminar Workshop on the IP Code & Its Regulations” [IPO, Makati City, Philippines]
• “Economic Impact of Legal Protection of IPR’s” [Shangri-la Hotel, Makati City, Philippines]
• “Symposium on Geographical Indications & Collective Marks for Industry Associations & IP Practitioners” [IPO, Makati City, Philippines]
• “Training Course on International (Madrid Protocol) & Regional (CTM) Trademark Registration Systems” [Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Makati City, Philippines]
• “WIPO National Seminar on the Patent Cooperation Treaty” [Philippine Stock Exchange Center, Pasig City, Philippines]
• “Japan-Asean Symposium on Intellectual Property-The Role of the Intellectual Property Rights System for Industrial Development” [Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Makati City, Philippines]
• “Seminar Workshop on the Proposed Implementing Rules & Regulations of the Intellectual Property Code” [Makati Sports Club, Makati City, Philippines]