TAPE Inc. responds to TVJ's request to stop using 'Eat Bulaga'

Television and Production Exponents, Inc. (TAPE) will continue to use "Eat Bulaga" for its noontime show as they await the final decision from the Intellectual Property Office (IPO).

In a statement, TAPE’s legal counsel Atty. Maggie Garduque said that they respect the law, “thus it 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 said.

Prior to the statement, Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon, collectively known as TVJ, held a press conference, asking TAPE to stop using “Eat Bulaga” following the IPO’s decision.

“Ngayong lumabas na ang desisyon, dapat sila naman ang rumespeto,” Tito Sotto said.

[Now that the decision is out, they should respect it.]

In response, TAPE’s statement said, “As regards the plea of TVJ not to use Eat Bulaga, TAPE will continue to use the name Eat Bulaga for its noontime show pending the appeals.”

“The appeal will be considered moot and academic if it heeds to the plea of TVJ. In the same vein, TAPE likewise hopes that TVJ will not use Eat Bulaga pending the appeals in accordance with the law and rules and wait for the finality of the decision,” it added.

In a 16-page decision released on Tuesday, the IPO ruled in favor of TVJ as the rightful owners of the "Eat Bulaga" trademark after they provided qualified testimony and explanation on the origin of the show's name.

On May 31, TVJ parted ways with TAPE, the producer of "Eat Bulaga." In July, they filed a copyright infringement complaint against the company for using the name "Eat Bulaga."

In response to the complaint, TAPE said they have the "registration of the trade name 'Eat Bulaga' so they cannot file infringement against the registered owner of the trademark."

—with report from Joahna Casilao/CACM, GMA Integrated News