Bullet Jalosjos Answers: “Eat Bulaga!” Transferring To A New Network? Vic Sotto Not Paid For Hosting?

Bullet Jalosjos says they will welcome new celebrities and offer bigger prizes on “Eat Bulaga”

Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, Joey de Leon, and other mainstay hosts will remain in “Eat Bulaga,” according to Dapitan Mayor Bullet Jalosjos, also the chief financial officer of Television and Production Exponent Inc. (TAPE).

For the past 44 years, Eat Bulaga has been hosted by mainstays Tito, Vic, and Joey, the formidable trio more popularly known as TVJ.

In the April 19, 2023 episode of “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda,” Jalosjos says that TVJ will “definitely” stay and will always be a part of the noontime show.

There have been reports indicating that Vic Sotto has not been paid for almost one year and that he is owed P2 billion.

Abunda asks Jalosjos directly: “Si Vic ay hindi nababayaran halos isang taon. These are fake news?”

“Yes,” answers Jalosjos, saying it’s not true.

Jalosjos then expresses his wish to have another dialogue with TVJ and the other hosts. “That’s the reason why kaya mas maganda po talaga na kung pwede sana makausap yung mga talents, maimbitahan natin sa show again to assure everyone that we’re all in good relations with the company, with the Board and tuluy-tuloy ang ligaya ng ‘Eat Bulaga!'”

Is “Eat Bulaga!” transferring to another network?

Bullet Jalosjos has also set the record straight: Is “Eat Bulaga!” transferring to NET 25?

Hindi po totoo yon,” stresses the executive.

He continues, “I talk to the executives of GMA all the time. I have to make sure that they’re confident enough to know na yung changes na nangyayari sa ‘Eat Bulaga!’ is still stable and sound. Siyempre, wala silang alam sa nangyayari internally, so, they need someone to talk to them every once in a while and assure them na okay pa rin ang ‘Eat Bulaga!'”

What is the status of the contract of TAPE with GMA-7?

“Two years pa,” he discloses, which means the contract will end by 2025.

READ ALSO: Here’s A Round-Up On The Latest “Eat Bulaga!” Controversy

Who is the owner of “Eat Bulaga?”

Bullet Jalosjos explains that his father Romeo Jalosjos Sr. owns both TAPE, Inc. and “Eat Bulaga!” while Tony Tuviera (retired CEO of TAPE, Inc.) helps in the management of the two.

Abunda then asks him: “Do you own TAPE?”

Jalosjos affirms this by saying, “Yes, our family owns 70% of the company that runs TAPE and runs ‘Eat Bulaga,’ and 20% is Tony Tuviera.”

The Jalosjos family, which controls 70% of TAPE, Inc., is now taking over management of “Eat Bulaga!” from retired co-founder Tuviera, who owns 20% of TAPE, Inc. The remaining 10 per cent is held by minority stockholders.

Jalosjos adds, “My dad has always been quiet with regards to ‘Eat Bulaga!’ or TAPE, but the industry knows that the company is owned by my father, who owned 100% at one point. When his good friend, of course, Tony Tuviera came in and he offered to help manage, help produce TAPE or ‘Eat Bulaga!; and that’s the reason why binigyan po siya ng 20% stake sa kumpanya.”

Bullet Jalosjos then reveals that even before the pandemic, Tuviera already wanted to retire but his father convinced the executive to stay. “Actually, even before the pandemic, Tito Tony already asked to retire. It was only my dad who asked him, begged him to stay and asked him if he could stay a little bit longer. It just so happened na pandemic. I think he really wanted to step down.”

The politician says he has been part of the Board of Directors since three to four years ago. At the time, they were not actively involved with ‘Eat Bulaga!’ in the past since he points out, “We don’t want to shake anything. Nothing was wrong with it. There’s no need for us to come in. But since Tito Tony had to retire, we had to step in and ensure… even my dad is still actively participating and actively involved with the production.”

Jalosjos says his father has always had the final say when it comes to decisions about ‘Eat Bulaga!’

Difficult changes within “Eat Bulaga!”

Is “Eat Bulaga!” undergoing rebranding?

Bullet Jalosjos answers, “People are talking about re-branding but ang joke nga ni Joey [de Leon] mismo, it’s not a rebranding but it’s actually a rebonding. Rebonding ng kumpanya, rebonding ng mga kapamilya, I mean ng pamilya sa ‘Eat Bulaga,’ rebonding ng executives, rebonding din ng GMA.”

How easy or how difficult was it to implement changes internally? “We had a difficult time at first considering na pagbabago kasi siya,” Jalosjos explains. “Any change in 44 years would create some sort of questions. Hindi ganun kadali. Iba po yung nakasanayan namin, hindi po talaga kami kilala sa industriya. We have a lot to prove: to the company, the talents.”

At that point, Bullet Jalosjos admits that they owe TVJ a lot of gratitude for being the backbone of the show for the past four decades. “Ang laki ng pasasalamat namin, ng utang na loob namin sa ating mga pillars — kina Tito, Vic and Joey and, of course, kay Tito Tony. They have always been a guide and they’ve been helping us. They’re continuing to assist and to guide us during our journey as the board of the company.”

He adds, “We’ve always acted like family ever since time pa ni Aiza [Seguerra].”

Last February 2023, they had a pivotal meeting with TVJ, “Eat Bulaga!” hosts, and staff in order to discuss these internal changes.

Bullet Jalosjos recalls, “Nagpatawag ng meeting si Dad as chairman, Tito Tony was there, TVJ was there, everyone, even the security guard, and all of the employees of TAPE. Doon napag-usapan na it’s about time na maging involved yung Board sa decisions sa loob ng kumpanya. It was also said there publicly that Tito Tony Tuviera would retire already. Tinanggap lang ng pamilya yung retirement and it was one way of confirming to everyone that my brother, Jon-jon Jalosjos, would take over the daily operations of the show. Jon-jon is the president [of TAPE]. My dad would still act as the active chairman, so, dinadaan pa rin sa kanya, back then and up to now yung mga decisions on portions, segments.”

How is the relationship of his father with TVJ?

Jalosjos answers, “I think it’s okay, very good. They still communicate especially after the meeting. They wanted to know and clarify what’s happening to the show.”

When Abunda asked him about the role of TVJ in “Eat Bulaga,” Bullet Jalosjos points out, “They’ve always been a part and they will always be a part of ‘Eat Bulaga!’ So, kahit baliktarin natin, hindi talaga sila puwedeng mawala sa ‘Eat Bulaga!’ And ‘Eat Bulaga!’ cannot live without TVJ. And I think, personally, TVJ also cannot live without ‘Eat Bulaga!'”

However, Jalosjos also mentions the sacrifices his father had to do way back when “Eat Bulaga!” was not yet doing well. “And just to be fair also sa kumpanya, sa pamilya, it’s also fair to know that even my father has also sacrificed even before when the show was not doing well. Nag-reinvest si Dad to ensure na masuwelduhan yung talents, nag-pick up naman, and that’s why we believe na talagang it’s a collective effort to [the] success of ‘Eat Bulaga!’”

Changes in hosts

There are rumors speculating that TVJ would only be seen on ‘Eat Bulaga!’ three times a week. What will happen to the hosts of the longest-running noontime show in the Philippines?

Bullet Jalosjos answers, “As of now, Tito Boy, I can’t really specifically say because it depends on the new shows na ipapakita. Again, we have to go back to the creatives, talk to the director, producers, kung anong klaseng segment naman yung ii-introduce.”

Abunda asks Jalosjos to confirm whether or not TVJ will continue to host the noontime show.

“Definitely,” states Jalosjos.

Will the other hosts be retained in the show? “Yes,” he says with a smile.

READ ALSO: Maja Salvador Bids Goodbye To “Eat Bulaga!” Due To “Uncertainties”

The TAPE, Inc. executive says the Board of Directors appointed him to talk about the changes that will be seen on the noontime show that first aired way back on July 30, 1979.

“I was given the green light by the board to talk openly kasi I think we have the responsibility sa taong bayan as well. Ang daming speculations and I don’t think it will ever stop unless someone addresses this concern. So, now, we just want to assure the public and everyone else that we’re coming up with a more improved ‘Eat Bulaga!’ I think we will be adding more…bigger prizes, more exciting segments.”

Jalosjos also answers another question circulating on the internet: Is TAPE, Inc. having money problems?

He explains, “Honestly, wala po. I think lumabas lang yung haka-haka or tsismis na yan because when we transition, siyempre, you have to study everything. So, siguro a part of the speculations, nagkakaproblema kami sa pera, but I want to assure everyone that we are financially stable. The company is okay, we’re doing good, we pay our talents. So, wala po talagang problema when it comes to money.”

Do they have an ongoing battle with Tony Tuviera?

“Wala po,” Jalosjos says about the veteran producer. “I have to say na napakabait na tao ni Tito Tony. He is more than family sa amin, he is always there to call… He still remains as a consultant para sa amin. So, lahat ng pagbabago, dinadaan rin namin sa kanya and that is approved by dad in the future.”

Jalosjos reiterates, “As of now, wala pong aalis [sa mga hosts], pero abangan na lang ninyo kung sino ang mga dadating. There are other celebrities that we are welcoming as well.”

Banner Art Paulo Correa

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