'TVJ is 'Eat Bulaga,' 'Eat Bulaga' is TVJ': Hosts react to IPO decision

MANILA, Philippines — Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon are relieved with the Intellectual Property Office's (IPO) decision, finding them the originators of the "Eat Bulaga" name.

Tito began a media conference held at TV5 Media Center — where TVJ hosts the noontime show "E.A.T." after departing Television and Production Exponents Inc. (TAPE) earlier this year — attended by several outlets, including Philstar.com,by reading a statement following the decision.

The former senator noted that the IPO and the Bureau of Legal Affairs, in deciding that TVJ were the originators of "Eat Bulaga," canceled the trademark registration of TAPE.

The IPO ruled that TVJ have the "absolute and exclusive right to register" the "Eat Bulaga" trademark after it found that they presented sufficient evidence that they originally coined the term, while TAPE failed to sufficiently explain its claim of ownership of the "Eat Bulaga" name.

“TAPE Inc. should not be allowed to profit from the business reputation built by TVJ… The general public even said that ‘TVJ is Eat Bulaga, Eat Bulaga is TVJ’,” says Tito Sotto. @PhilstarShowbiz @PhilstarNews pic.twitter.com/kCmOJxPcSs

"It [was] Joey who coined and created [the name] in 1979 in my kitchen in White Plains... TAPE did not even refute or contradict our narration of the origin. In fact, they corroborated our claims when they said Romy Jalosjos (owner of TAPE) only chose 'Eat Bulaga' among the suggested list given to him," Tito continued.

Tito also noted IPO recgonized Joey's creative efforts in conceptualizing "Eat Bulaga," and that "it is not the application or the registration that confers the right of registration."

"It is only us and no one else who have all the right to register these subject marks. TAPE should not be allowed to profit from the business reputation built by TVJ," Tito stated. "For how many decades, TVJ garnered goodwill over the 'Eat Bulaga' brand and the general public even said that 'TVJ is 'Eat Bulaga,' 'Eat Bulaga' is TVJ.'"

Asked for their first reactions to hearing the IPO's decision after Tito finished reading the statement, the ex-senator said he immediately thanked the Lord.

WATCH: TVJ share their initial