Sinagot ng Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) ang mga katanugnan ng iba’t ibang sektor at netizens kaugnay sa renewal nila ng "Eat Bulaga!" trademark ng Television and Production Exponents (TAPE), Inc.
Ang TAPE Inc. ang producer ng longest-running noontime show na Eat Bulaga!, na umeere sa GMA-7.
Co-owned ang TAPE ni Romy Jalosjos, na may 75 percent share, at ni Tony Tuviera, na may 25 percent share.
Sa pahayag na inilabas ng IPOPHL ngayong Martes, August 22, 2023, base sa Republic Act 8293 o Intellectual Property Code, ang mga kahilingan tungkol sa renewal ay maibibigay sa nagparehistro kapag napatunayang ito ang nagmamay-ari at patuloy na nagmamay-ari nito.
Ang naaprubahan ng IPOPHL ay ang "Class 16, 18, 21, 25," na may kinalaman sa "paper, leather, household utensils, at clothing/footwear/headgear," respectively.
Ayon sa IPOPHL, “On queries from various quarters about the renewal of the EAT BULAGA trademark of Television and Production Exponents, Inc., IPOPHL confirms the approval on June 14, 2023 of the request to extend the term of registration over EAT BULAGA AND EB covered by TM Reg. No. 42011005951, for Nice Classes 16, 18, 21 and 25 for another 10 years.
“The renewal process strictly observes an ex-parte nature prescribed by Republic Act 8293 or the Intellectual Property Code.
“Under the law, requests for renewal should be granted primarily if the registrant can prove the actual and continuous use of the mark.”
Nitong nakaraang August 5, 2023, kinumpirma ng abogado ng TAPE na si Atty. Maggie Abraham- Garduque sa Philippine Entertainment Portal (PEP.ph) na ang TAPE ang mananatiling may-ari ng pamagat at logo ng Eat Bulaga! hanggang 2033.
Sampung taon ang itinatagal ng isang trademark registration.
Read: 'Eat Bulaga!' trademark na pagmamay-ari ng TAPE Inc., ni-renew ng IPO
Dagdag pa sa pahayag ng IPOPHL, tuloy ang kasong inihain ng original hosts ng Eat Bulaga! na sina Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, Joey de Leon, o TVJ, para makansela ang trademark approval sa Bureau of Legal Affairs, isang sangay ng IPOPHL.
“Moreover, as the renewal requests and other pending applications at the Bureau of Trademark (BOT) are separate from the trademark cancellation case at the Bureau of Legal Affairs (BLA), they do not affect the BLA’s disposition of the merits of the trademark cancellation case.”
Read: TVJ vs TAPE Inc. 'Eat Bulaga!' trademark legal battle, tuloy pa rin
Dinidinig pa rin sa Branch 273 ng Marikina Regional Trial Court ang inihaing copyright infringement at unfair competition complaints nina Tito, Vic, Joey, at Jeny Ferre laban sa TAPE Inc. at GMA.
Si Jeny ang dating Executive Vice-President for Production ng TAPE.
Read: TVJ, Jeny Ferre file copyright infringement and unfair competition complaints vs TAPE, GMA-7
Samantala, si Joey ang unang nagpatutsada sa Eat Bulaga! matapos ma-renew ang kanilang trademark application.
Ayon sa kanyang Instagram post noong August 5 din, “Sa kanila ang RENEWAL, sa amin ang NUMERAL! Thanks for promoting us for the next TEN years! I’m still with EB, ah,ah not that EB but with Ellen and Barbie.”
Read: Did Joey de Leon take a swipe at TAPE Inc.'s Eat Bulaga! trademark registration?
More related stories:
- Eat Bulaga! war and how it changes Philippine TV: A Timeline
- TAPE asks IPOPHIL to deny TVJ applications for "Eat Bulaga" trademark
- Jalosjos brothers on trademark war: "We have the papers to prove we own Eat Bulaga!"
- Tito Sotto on TAPE: "They're deceiving the people by saying na sila yung 'Eat Bulaga!'"
- Joey de Leon on ‘E.A.T.’ competing with ‘Eat Bulaga!’: “We are the only show na katapat ang sarili naming show!”
- Tito Sotto claims TVJ owns Eat Bulaga! trademark
- Jon Jalosjos claims Tony Tuviera did not agree to TVJ trademark application
- Tito Sotto on the day TVJ left TAPE: "Parang sila ang may-ari sa amin. Nakakapikon na."
- FULL TRANSCRIPT: Tito Sotto reveals untold details about internal issues in 'Eat Bulaga!'