Charles Teves
A lawyer has finally answered the question of who owns the name ‘Eat Bulaga.’
TAPE Incorporated, the producer of ‘Eat Bulaga’ aired a live show on GMA Network on June 5th after four days of reruns.
The show featured several celebrities such as actor Paolo Contis, singer-actress Alexa Miro, and the Legaspi twins, Cassy and Mavy.
Due to a dispute among the production team regarding ‘Eat Bulaga’ management, the trio of Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon, or TVJ disengaged from TAPE Incorporated, owned by the Jalosjos family.
As a result, the majority of the show’s production staff and talents also left the company. This left TAPE with no choice but to air replays from May 31st until June 5th.
This prompted viewers to ask who the real show owner is.
Luckily, lawyer Jesus Falcis answered the question in a Twitter thread.
Falcis said TAPE owns the name Eat Bulaga based on intellectual property laws.
Unfortunately for TVJ, TAPE Inc. is the owner of the trademark “EAT BULAGA.”
1. Under the Intellectual Property Office’s records, TAPE Inc. is the REGISTERED owner of the name Eat Bulaga and its abbreviation EB.
— Jesus Falcis 🇵🇭 (@jesusfalcis) June 6, 2023
2. Ownership of a trademark under PH law belongs to the one that is the first-to-file for its registration.
Sec. 122 of the Intellectual Property Law says: “The rights in a mark shall be acquired through registration made validly in accordance with the provisions of this law.”
— Jesus Falcis 🇵🇭 (@jesusfalcis) June 6, 2023
He said TVJ can’t use Eat Bulaga anymore.
Hence, since TAPE Inc. is the registered owner of the name Eat Bulaga since 2011, it is the one that can use the name to the exclusion of others.
If TVJ uses the name Eat Bulaga for their own show, they will be committing trademark infringement or an IP violation.
— Jesus Falcis 🇵🇭 (@jesusfalcis) June 6, 2023
Joey de Leon came up with the name but gave it to TAPE years ago.
3. But wait, si Joey De Leon @AngPoetNyo gumawa or bumuo ng name na Eat Bulaga nuong 1979. Pano yun?
Yes. But by allowing TAPE Inc. to register and claim ownership over the name, they will be considered to have consented to transferring the rights over the name. #WowMali
— Jesus Falcis 🇵🇭 (@jesusfalcis) June 6, 2023
TVJ also didn’t protest TAPE registering the name’s show under it.
TVJ did not oppose the registration since 2011. They had all the time and opportunity to do so but didn’t. They could have filed for registration under their personal names TVJ but they allowed TAPE Inc. to do so because it was the company that was running the show.
— Jesus Falcis 🇵🇭 (@jesusfalcis) June 6, 2023
This could mean that TAPE also owns segments like ‘Pinoy Henyo’, and others.
5. More problematic for TVJ, TAPE Inc. also owns the trademark not just for the name Eat Bulaga but for most if not all the names of the segments or games performed during the show – Pinoy Henyo, Kalyeserye, etc.
— Jesus Falcis 🇵🇭 (@jesusfalcis) June 6, 2023
Tony Tuviera can’t help since his role in TAPE is minimal.
The problem is, like most other celebrities or big people who poorly plan their legal rights, Tony Tuviera is only a minority owner of TAPE.
Worse, TVJ didn’t even bother to be owners of the company that was running and owning their show.
— Jesus Falcis 🇵🇭 (@jesusfalcis) June 6, 2023
3. Never fight a legal battle you don’t have aces or winning cards/hand. If you don’t have the rights, change strategy and adjust.
I do not support TAPE Inc. and I hate the Jalosjos but unfortunately, they outmaneuvered TVJ and the rest of the Eat Bulaga hosts/staff. #WowMali
— Jesus Falcis 🇵🇭 (@jesusfalcis) June 6, 2023
Anette Gozon-Valdes, senior vice president at GMA, stated last week that the Kapuso network had offered to lend TAPE talents from Sparkle, as it had done before. However, the decision was ultimately up to the talent.
Alden Richards, a GMA star and “Dabarkads” publicly supported TVJ on his Instagram account by stating, “Always and forever… Eatbulaga1979.”
In an attempt to avoid a legal dispute, the Monday episode did not utilize the ‘Eat Bulaga’ brand and theme song.
Tito Sotto has been firm in his stance that TAPE can only use the ‘Eat Bulaga’ Trademark for merchandise purposes and not for entertainment.
