No, I haven't turned cannibal. I'm referring to the biscuits sold in Spain which bear our national identity. I've long heard about these biscuits but this is the first time I've seen and tasted it first hand. When I went to the supermarket yesterday, I immediately looked for it. I bought a sample of each of the four flavors.
They're good! I'm wondering why no one has imported these in the Philippines. It bears the brand ARTIACH although I also see KRAFT FOODS written on the packaging. They even have a website ...not surprisingly, the address is www.filipinos.com.
I found it amusing to see biscuits called Filipinos. Is it perhaps a favor returned for the Spanish bread sold in bakeries in the Philippines? Although we don't call those sugar-sprinkled, buttered bread Spanish or Spaniards and I'm not really sure if those originated in Spain. How about the pan americano? Is there any food in the Philippines named after a particular nation?
Those who are more nationalistically sensitive may feel offended. Others may find nothing wrong at all. But there is a question that comes to my mind...who has the right of ownership over the name?
As I look at the packaging, the product name Filipinos has that symbol which identifies it as a registered trademark, meaning the company making the product has the right to use the name. The name has become their intellectual property. But what about the first use principle? We were undeniably the first ones to use it.
Can we sue them or can they sue us? What legal implication does this have? Any Intellectual Property Rights lawyers out there who can answer?
Anyway, as I leave that question for us to ponder, I will sit back and enjoy my Filipinos. Yum!
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