By: Abigail L. Ho
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Homegrown food chain Binalot Fiesta Foods Inc. has agreed to an amicable settlement of cases it filed against the owner of Nid’s Express Binalot for allegedly using trademarks similar to those of the Binalot brand.

According to Binalot trademark owner Rommel Juan, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines’ (Ipophl) Bureau of Legal Affairs had already approved the settlement arrangement between Binalot and Rafael Chu, the owner of Nid’s Express Binalot.

Ipophl director general Ricardo Blancaflor would have to issue a separate approval to deem the case resolved.

Binalot in 2007 filed a trademark infringement case against Chu for allegedly using trademarks that were “confusingly similar to and infringing on the Binalot trademark.”

Ipophl ruled in Binalot’s favor and ordered Chu to pay the former for damages.

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MY LIFE AS A BINALOT FRANCHISEE

Growing up, I never thought that I would be a businessman. The books that surrounded me in childhood pointed to a life of writing—and to a great degree, that was what I pursued. I started with plays and later dabbled in film and television before settling down with fiction. I never thought my brain and temperament was in any way wired beyond the comfort and power of words. But life likes to throw curveballs once in a while.

One evening I went to pick my wife up from her workplace. Arriving early, I was invited to brainstorm with the creative folk at her agency while waiting for her. So I dove in, contributed an idea or two. This ultimately resulted in my being the group’s GM for their Hong Kong arm—a whirlwind that firmly affixed me in the corporate world. From there, a series of fortunate events and great partnerships led me to the realm of the entrepreneur, founding my own company. But through all of this I considered myself an accidental businessman.

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