TAPE maintains trademark for title ‘Eat Bulaga’

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 7) — TAPE Inc. on Wednesday maintained that it owns the trademark for the title “Eat Bulaga.”

“Kami po ang nag-trademark n’yan nung 2011 and we also had another application [in] 1991,” TAPE Inc. chief finance officer Bullet Jalosjos told CNN Philippines' The Source.

[Translation: We applied for its trademark in 2011, and we also had another application in 1991.]

The Dapitan City mayor made the statement after TV host and former Senate president Tito Sotto also claimed rights over the title of the longest-running noontime show.

“For us, we follow, ika nga (as they say), the international rule. Even in the Supreme Court jurisprudence here in the Philippines and abroad, the creators are the owners. So, we will fight for it, we will continue with Eat Bulaga,” Sotto earlier told CNN Philippines.

When TAPE Inc. applied for the trademark of “Eat Bulaga,” no party, even the TVJ, opposed the application, Jalosjos claimed.

“So just the fact na walang iba ang nag-oppose, none of them, none of the TVJ… just means to say na talagang it's clear the name stays with us, with the company, and with the corporation, so hindi po talaga pwede nilang madala 'yung ‘Eat Bulaga,’” he added.

[Translation: So the fact that no one opposed, none of them, none of the TVJ just means to say that it's really clear the name stays with us, with the company, and with the corporation, so they cannot bring with them 'Eat Bulaga.']

According to the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, any person who believes that he would be damaged by a trademark registration may file an opposition to the application within 30 days.

If no opposition was filed, a certificate of registration will be issued.

Jalosjos also denied Sotto’s claim that what TAPE Inc. applied for before was only for merchandise.

“The trademark is conceived during the filing of registration… it encompasses everything within the timeframe. Trademark should hold everything,” Jalosjos pointed out.

He also questioned the move of TVJ to file trademark registration for the title “Eat Bulaga” back in February.

“You have to talk about the intention kung bakit ginagawa ‘yon (why they are doing this) and how come only now?” Jalosjos said.