Understanding the Limits of Bottle Ownership: Native Product Exemptions in the Philippines

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TLDR: This case clarifies that manufacturers of native products like patis (fish sauce) are exempt from restrictions on using marked bottles, even if those bottles are registered to other companies. This exemption aims to support local industries, regardless of their scale, and protects their ability to use readily available containers.

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G.R. NO. 160191, June 08, 2006

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Introduction

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Imagine a small, local business struggling to compete with larger corporations. One way they might cut costs is by reusing bottles they acquire. But what if those bottles are marked with another company’s logo? Can the larger company sue them for using their bottles? This scenario highlights the tension between protecting intellectual property and supporting local industries, a balance the Philippine legal system attempts to strike.

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This case, Twin Ace Holdings Corporation v. Rufina and Company, revolves around the question of whether a company producing patis (fish sauce) can use bottles marked with another company’s name, in this case, “Tanduay Distillers.