The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) cancels that trademarks registration of TAPE Inc. for ‘Eat Bulaga’ and ‘EB,’ The IPOPHL Bureau of Legal Affairs’ ruling dated December 4, favors the position of former “Eat Bulaga” hosts Tito and Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon (TVJ), and stated that they are the rightful owners of the “Eat Bulaga” trademark, given the testimony and explanation they, specially Joey de Leon is the one who coined the term “EAT BULAGA”.
IPOPHL states “having sufficiently established how Petitioners coined the EAT BULAGA mark, it is Petitioners and not Respondent-Registrant who owns the mark. Considering that the Petitioners are the owners, they have absolute and exclusive right to register the EAT BULAGA mark and all variations thereto, including the Subject Mark EAT BULAGA and the EB mark, under its name.”
Here’s a copy of IPOPHL statement;
Heto na! #LegitDabarkads #TVJ #EatBulaga #EATonTV5 pic.twitter.com/zjmR2TMhpY
— This is EAT BULAGA Dabarkads! (@EatBulagaTV) December 5, 2023
It’s unclear what TAPE Inc. will do next but if possible they will surely make an appeal to reconsider, since the only thing that’s keeping the TAPE-produced show relevant is the name “EAT BULAGA” and “EB”.
As for TVJ’s side, now that the trademark is cancelled, they will surely secure the name for themselves and their show. Unless of course an appeal is made and turn-over IPOPHL’s cancellation of the registration.