Mr. Edgar S. Tordesillas

April 12, 1988 Mr. Edgar S. Tordesillas Sir : This refers to your letter, dated April 8, 1988 requesting for advice on the possibility of using "United States Trading Corporation" as "US Trading" of "US Trading (Phils.),Inc." as a corporate name. The pertinent provision of the Corporation Code on the matter of corporate name reads as follows: "SECTION 18. No corporate name may be allowed by the Securities and Exchange Commission if the proposed name is identical or deceptively or confusingly similar to that of any existing corporation or to any other name already protected by law or is patently deceptive, confusing or contrary to existing laws. ...". Neither the Corporation Code nor our "Guidelines In The Approval of Corporate and Partnership Names" contains any provision restricting the use of the words "United States" or the initials "U.S." as part of the corporate name. Thus, for as long as the proposed name would not be deceptive in the light of the purposes for which the corporation is organized, such use of the words "United States" or "US" as part of the corporate name may be allowed. However, this is without prejudice to the provision of any existing international agreement to the contrary. Very truly yours, (SGD.) JULIO A. SULIT, JR. Chairman