TAPE to still use 'Eat Bulaga' for noontime show
MANILA, Philippines — Television and Production Exponents Inc. (TAPE) will continue using the "Eat Bulaga" name as the company appeals the decision of the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) canceling its trademark registration.
Last December 5, the IPO released a decision that said former hosts Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon — collectively known as TVJ — have the "absolute and exclusive right to register" the "Eat Bulaga" or "EB" trademark after it found that they presented sufficient evidence that they originally coined the term.
In the same decision, the IPO said TAPE failed to sufficiently explain its claim of ownership of the "Eat Bulaga" name.
TVJ welcomed the IPO's decision and in a media conference at TV5 Media Center — where the trio now hosts "E.A.T." following their departure from TAPE earlier this year — called on TAPE to stop using the "Eat Bulaga" name out of respect for the law.
Atty. Enrique "Buko" dela Cruz from DivinaLaw, TVJ's legal representative, explained that the trio could have used the "Eat Bulaga" name even before the IPO's decision came out but opted not to to avoid any trouble and respect the legal process.
Related: TVJ can use 'Eat Bulaga' name, TAPE must respect IPO decision — lawyer
In a statement sent to GMA News, the news division of GMA-7 where TAPE airs "Eat Bulaga" on a blocktime agreement, TAPE's legal counsel Atty. Maggie Garduque said they respect the law and "will follow the procedure."
"As confirmed by the statement released by IPO today, TAPE has a period of 15 days to appeal the decision of the adjudication officer to the Director of the BLA-IPO. Then, appealed decisions may still be appealed to the Director General of IPO within 30 days," the statement added.
In response to TVJ asking TAPE to stop using the "Eat Bulaga" name out of respect, TAPE noted the appeal will be "considered moot and academic if it heeds to the plea of TVJ" and hopes the trio will not use the "Eat Bulaga" name pending the appeals until the decision is truly final.
"Mga Kapuso, mahaba pa po ang laban. Ibig sabihin, legally, wala pang final. Okay?" said Paolo Contis, one of TAPE's "Eat Bulaga" hosts, during the December 6 episode of the show.
TVJ continues to use "E.A.T." for their show, though during the theme song's chorus, they now belt out "E.A.T. ... Bulaga!"
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