#EatBulagaWar

Humarap sa isang eksklusibong panayam sa Philippine Entertainment Portal (PEP.ph) si former Senate President Tito Sotto para ilantad ang buong kuwento kaugnay ng nagaganap na gulo sa loob ng Eat Bulaga!.

March 1, 2023, nilabas ng PEP.ph ang blind item tungkol sa isang long-running show na magkakaroon ng “major changes” dahil sa pag-alis umano ng isang “well-loved personality.”

Natukoy agad na ang “well-loved personality” ay si Tony Tuviera, ang co-owner ng TAPE (Television And Production Exponents) Inc., na producer ng longest-running noontime show sa Pilipinas, ang Eat Bulaga!.

Naging malaking kontrobersiya ito sa showbiz.

Dawit sa isyu ang TVJ, ang sikat na triumvirate nina Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, at Joey de Leon, na co-founders at pioneer hosts ng show.

Nagkaroon ng iba’t ibang espekulasyon, hindi lang sa hinihinalang problema sa pamamahala sa Eat Bulaga!, kundi pati na rin sa mga sinasabing pagbabago na mangyayari sa produksiyon nito.

April 19, 2023, lumabas si Dapitan City Mayor Bullet Jalosjos sa Fast Talk With Boy Abunda sa GMA-7 para sagutin ang isyu tungkol sa Eat Bulaga!.

Si Bullet ay chief finance officer ng TAPE Inc., at anak ng may-ari ng TAPE Inc. na si Romy Jalosjos. Si Romy ay dating congressman ng Zamboanga del Norte.

Sa TV interview, inihayag ni Bullet ang tungkol sa “meeting” ng management ng Eat Bulaga! noong February 28, 2023.

Ang agenda raw ng meeting: pagkumpirma na ang kapatid ni Bullet na si Jonjon Jalosjos, na siyang president ng TAPE Inc., ang opisyal na mamamahala sa daily operations ng Eat Bulaga!.

Inanunsiyo sa meeting na “active chairman” pa rin ang ama ni Bullet na si Romy; habang si Tony, na tumatayong president at CEO ng TAPE Inc. ay boluntaryong nagretiro na raw simula “March 2023.”

Pinabulaanan din ni Bullet ang balitang may isyu sa pera na kinahaharap ang pamunuan ng Eat Bulaga!.

 

Umalma si Tito sa aniya’y mga maling impormasyong ipinakalat ni Bullet sa national television.

Ipinaabot ni Tito sa PEP.ph na gusto nitong klaruhin ang nangyayari sa Eat Bulaga!

Ang PEP.ph Editorial Team na kasama sa interbyu: Jo-Ann Maglipon, editor in chief; Erwin Santiago, news and associate editor; Rommel Llanes, video editor; at Gorgy Rula, PEP Troika columnist.

Noong April 26, 2023, inilathala sa PEP.ph ang four-part exclusive video interview kay Tito:

Ginanap ang interbyu ng PEP.ph kay Tito sa Quezon City Sports Club sa may E. Rodriguez Avenue, New Manila, Quezon City, noong April 25, 2023, Martes.

Narito ang full transcript nito:

PEP: Paano ba nagsimula ang isyung ito?

TITO SOTTO: January 2023, biglang si Romy Jalosjos asked for a meeting with me late January yata yun, this year. And he told me na he wants to retire Tony [Tuviera, former CEO and President of TAPE Inc.]… masyadong nalulugi raw yung program kaya kailangan daw, e, mag-reinvent ng programa. At saka ano daw… bumababa rating kaya daw kailangan mag-reinvent ng programa. Pagkatapos yung mga empleyado masyadong mataas yung mga suweldo so we had to retire them, and we’ll fix the salary scale…

Sabi ko, “Ha? I think you should be careful with that. You should talk to your legal people ‘cause you just can’t retire or fire people, lalo na if they’ve been there for ages, for years. Hindi ganun kadali yon. You’ll be having problem with DOLE… They’re regular employees and yung mga contractual, yung may mga contract bigla mo na lang ano… It’s not that easy.” Sabi ko, “I think you should be cautious,” that’s even the word I used. Sabi ko, “You should be cautious.” Anyway, “We’ll talk to them,” sabi niya. ‘I’ll tell the boys [Vic and Joey],’ sabi ko. “I’ll tell the guys.” Yun ang message ko.

 

JO-ANN MAGLIPON: Did he say anything about the three of you (Tito, Vic & Joey)?

TITO: Hindi, wala, hindi niya minention. Ngayon, sinabi ko na sa dalawa. Siyempre iniisip nila, “Ha? Ba’t niya gagawin yon?” Anyway, hindi namin masyadong pinansin, ako lang naman ang kinausap niya, e. All of a sudden, after a few weeks, ina-announce na he [Jalosjos] wants daw a general meeting. Ang gumawa nung memo for the general meeting, si Tony Tuviera. Siyempre, susunod lahat. So, nag-general meeting. But even before the general meeting, may mga loose talks na kung ano plano, may mga planong ganito, ganyan…

Pagdating ng general meeting, si Romy, siya lang yung nagsalita, e… He practically repeated what he told me. Pero this time, may mga dagdag siyang mga kuwento na, “We have to change even the hosts, we have to inject new blood,” sabing ganun. “And then we have to reinvent the program. If I have to appear in the show, I will also appear.”

Meron kaming footage… yung mga empleyado ni-record siya… At saka nasa studio kami, e, may camera. Aware siya. We were about 80+ people, you expect na walang magre-record sa yo?

 

JO-ANN: Ano ba yung personalidad ni Jalosjos? Ganun talaga, yung salita lang nang salita?

TITO: Oo, oo. Ganun talaga yun, e. Sanay sa ano yun, e, sa Zamboanga del Norte, e. Kingpin… Kung ano sabihin mo, walang kukuwestiyon. Nagbigay siya ng background, “Nag-umpisa kami, we didn’t have enough funding. Nagkautang kami… But, you know, the rating was really bad. Suddenly, we had this portion,” sabi niya. “Miss Gay, and we started having ratings go up.” Nagtitinginan kaming tatlo nina Vic dahil wala naman kaming Miss Gay, e. We never had one.

Anyway, after na magsalita, tumayo ako, sabi ko, “Romy, ladies and gentlemen, baka magkamali itong mga bagong member dito ng Eat Bulaga!, baka magkamali ng intindi tong mga bagong empleyado, we’ve never had Miss Gay,” ginanun ko siya. Oo, sinabi ko… Gumanun siya sa anak niya na katabi, “Is that Super Sireyna?” parang ganun sinasabi niya. “No,” sabi ko, “one, we’ve never had Miss Gay, never, 43 years,” sabi ko. Super Sireyna, kung kailan lang yun, di ba?

Ang sinasabi niya, nung 1979, 1980, bagsak kami umpisa rating, di ba? “What you probably think is Mr. Macho Man.” Yun yung Macho Man, e, remember Village People? Yun kami umpisa nag-rating. So what does it prove? He doesn’t know anything about the show, hindi ba? For you to say that, wala kang alam.

(“Macho Man” was a dance contest where male contestants must perform to the 1978 song “Macho Man” by the Village People.)

 

JO-ANN: Noong panahong yun, was he physically with you doing creative work, planning, brainstorming?

TITO: No… no. He just founded Production Specialists. Let me go back, 1979, when we started Eat Bulaga!, Joey de Leon invented the title in my kitchen, in my place [Derby Street]. Kaya napasok yung isip niya noon, ‘Eat,’ and then surprise, ‘Eat Bulaga!’ Inimbento ni Joey yun. Sinabi ko kay Vic, okay kami. Sinabi ko kay Tuviera, maganda.

1979, July 30, nagsimula kami sa Channel 9. Production Specialists ang producer. Ang mga corporate ng Production Specialists, si Tony Tuviera, si Romy Jalosjos, and some others.

By 1980, we were deep in debt. Production Specialists was deep in debt. Pati dun sa PBA na pinu-produce nila, bagsak din, matindi din ang utang. So, we could have closed shop, but we didn’t. The three of us didn’t, yung pang-apat namin nun, si Chiqui Hollman, umayaw na. So, natira kaming tatlo. From that time, naubos na yung puhunan nilang P600,000… kinukuwento nung finance person nung araw sa amin, e.

So, by 1980, kami lang yung ang puhunan namin, blood sweat, and tears because wala kaming suweldo isang taon. Nagtatrabaho ka ng araw-araw, Monday to Saturday, walang suweldo, isang taon. Hindi ba puhunan na matindi yon—blood, sweat, and tears?

Eto ngayon, the only reason na we get along was because magkakasundo kami nila Tony. Pangalawa, may ganun kaming Iskul Bukol [IBC-13 sitcom, 1978-1988]. And we were getting higher pay in Iskul Bukol than what we’re getting in Eat Bulaga!. Number one yung Iskul Bukol, e, on rating, e, if you recall.

 

JO-ANN: When you had this arrangement that you are going to go on with the show and make it work, was it something that you four, with Mr. Tuviera, articulated, formally talked about?

TITO: Yes, sabi namin, “Tuloy lang, tuloy lang, tuloy lang, baka makatsamba tayo.” Eto na, pumasok na yung ‘Mr. Macho,’ nagre-rating na kami. Biglang nahirapan ang Student Canteen [GMA-7, 1975-1986], nakadikit kami.

1980, nagsara yung Production Specialists, e. 1981, tinayo nila yung TAPE [Television And Production Exponents] Inc.

Eto na lang, common sense, 1979 namin itinayo yun [Eat Bulaga!], kami nag-imbento ng title. Papano nung 1981 ikaw may-ari? July 7, 1981, nag-register sa SEC [Securities and Exchange Commission] ang TAPE. Producer ang TAPE ng Eat Bulaga!, pero hindi ikaw ang Eat Bulaga!.

 

JO-ANN: But didn’t it write down that it owned the name Eat Bulaga!?

TITO: They’re claiming, they’re claiming. Anyway, according to the law experts on copyright, it doesn’t matter who has the copyright, pero they don’t. It doesn’t matter. The important thing, in court, is who invented it. Ganun, e, kaya walang kaproble-problema ang copyright… And, hindi kami nabayaran ng Production Specialists, nila Romy. Pero sila Romy, kasama rin dito sa TAPE.

 

JO-ANN: Nagsara ang Production Specialists na hindi kayo nababayaran?

TITO: Wala, hindi kami nababayaran. Nakabaon nga sa utang pati sa iba, e. Pagbukas ng TAPE, sabi sa amin, ‘Okay lang kasi bibigyan kayo ng share dito.’ O, di okay na, di ba, bibigyan ka ng share, e. May utang kayo, okay na. Parang, eto na yung bayad sa utang, yung share, di ba? Lalabas-labas, after 43 years, wala kaming share. Seventy-five percent, sa Jalosjos family; 25 percent si Tony.

 

JO-ANN: All this time, you thought that the three of you had some share? Although you never asked how much of the share?

TITO: Correct. That’s why aside from Vic and Joey getting a big amount every month, merong incentives kami coming from TAPE supposed to be. Ganun yun, e. All the while, we thought na merong ano… Wala, wala. Lately lang. Therefore, the new board na sinasabi nila, bago lang ito. Because nung 1981, one or two members of the board were not born yet. Hindi pa ipinapanganak, e, paano nakasama nung 1981? Hindi ka nakasama, bago lang yan.

 

ERWIN SANTIAGO: Are we talking about the Jalosjos children—Romeo “Jon Jon” Jalosjos Jr., Seth Frederick “Bullet” Jalosjos, and Soraya Jalosjos?

TITO: Oo, oo…

 

ERWIN: Kailan po sila naging part ng board ng TAPE?

TITO: Hindi ko alam, hindi ko alam… basta nitong huli, pinaimbestigahan ko sa SEC yung composition, dun ko nakita—51 percent si Romy, tig-e-eight percent yung tatlong anak, tapos 25 percent si Tony.

 

(PEP: Bullet said in his April 19, 2023 interview on Fast Talk With Boy Abunda that his father owns 70 percent of TAPE, while Tony Tuviera has 20 percent. He said that they’ve been aboard for about 3-4 years.)

TITO: Hindi niya alam. E, hindi naman namin nakita sila for 43 years, e. Ngayon na lang, e.

 

PEP: Why did you decide to finally speak up?

TITO: Sabi ko nga, lagi kaming tahimik, e. Kahit nung nagkagulo na yan, sabi namin, “Hindi, hindi kami papayag.” Sabi sa amin, mali lahat yung kuwento, hindi daw ganun yung plano nila. Kasi plano sana, alisin si Jenny Ferre [head writer], si Poochie [Rivera], yung direktor, papalitan. Pagkatapos, ire-retain nila si Jose [Manalo], si Allan K, at si Wally [Bayola]. Aalisin yung iba, lahat—sila Ryan [Agoncillo], sila Paolo [Ballesteros], sila si Maine [Mendoza], aalisin lahat.

 

JO-ANN: But they don’t touch the three of you (TVJ)?

TITO: Hindi nila binabanggit yun nung una. Pero ang tsismis na nakarating sa amin, gusto rin kaming i-retire, gusto kaming gawing three times a week na lang. Siguro para bumaba yung presyo dahil nga nalulugi daw.

So, anyway, lahat yan di namin sinasabi sa media, di ba? Gusto kaming interbyuhin, hindi. Sabi namin, “Huwag na.” We’re trying to solve it, e. Yung ugaling Eat Bulaga! na we wanted to insulate everything from controversy. So, sabi namin, “Hindi puwede yung gusto niyo. Ang suggestion namin, we meet halfway. Gusto niyong magbawas ng empleyado, ng suweldo, babaan natin ng 10 percent across the board, until December [2023]. Pagdating ng December, after December nakabawi na kayo, hindi na kayo nalulugi, ibalik natin.” Yan ang sinabi namin, di ba?

Nag-meeting, bumalik sa amin, sabi, “Okay.” Okay, good, si Vic at si Joey, ibababa rin yung salary, okay. Pero sabi ni Vic, “Pero bayaran niyo kami sa utang ninyo ha…” from TAPE. From that 2022 na hindi sila nababayaran ng suweldo. Mga over tigti-thirty million bawat isa sa kanila. Umoo. “Okay, sige. So, everything’s all set?” sabi niya. Yung si Jon-Jon Jalosjos yung kausap namin, Romeo Jalosjos Jr. Siya yung CEO ngayon na President, pumalit kay Tony Tuviera. Sabi namin, “Okay, let’s give it a try.” Yun ang ending namin. Yun ang ending ko. “I’ll make sure,” sabi ko nga, “we’ll give it a try.”

Aba, all of a sudden, a few days ago, biglang nagpa-interview itong si Bullet kay Boy Abunda, kay Cristy Fermin. Pareho, e. Pareho rin ang mga tanong, if you will notice, di ba? Talagang naka-gear yung mga questions, e. Aba, yung lahat ng sinabi inaccurate, e. Lahat ng sinabi mali, e.

We can’t taking it sitting down. Kaya nung nag-meeting nung Sabado [April 22], sinabi ko na rin kay Joey. You know, everything was all good, e. Sinabi nga natin, ‘Let sleeping dogs lie, di ba, and let’s give it a try.’ E, bakit biglang may salitang ganyan? Biglang magpapa-interview na ang sabi, walang utang kay Vic at Joey.

 

(PEP: Bullet Jalosjos was interviewed by Boy Abunda in Fast Talk With Boy Abunda on April 19, and Cristy Fermin’s online show Cristy Ferminute on April 20. In his interview with Boy Abunda, Bullet was asked if there is a takeover of the Jalosjos in TAPE, which produces Eat Bulaga!.

Bullet said there is no takeover that will take place, but that “people have been retiring” from the show, “so, it’s just right na pumasok na rin po and maging active yung board of directors sa kumpanya.” Bullet cited Tony Tuviera, President and CEO of TAPE Inc., whose retirement was effective on March 2023, and Malou Choa Fagar, former COO of Tape Inc., who retired in January 2021.

Referring to Tony’s retirement, Bullet said, “Actually, even before the pandemic, si Tito Tony already asked to retire. It’s only my dad that asked him, begged him to stay, if he can stay a little bit longer. And it just so happened na na-timing-an na after the pandemic, I think he really wanted to step down, which my dad granted.”)

 

TITO: Pinag-retire nga nila si Tony, e. Tapos ang ginawang CEO si Jon Jalosjos, e… Hindi totoo yan. Kung huwag munang mag-retire, ginawa nilang consultant na lang. Ask Tony. Exact words na sabi niya, “Pinagre-retire ako, e…” Pinagre-retire siya. Hindi siya nagre-retire. So, mali na kaagad dun, dun sa unang yon, mali yon, hindi.

ERWIN: Nung general assembly nung January, may alam po ba si Mr. T dun sa sasabihin ni Romy Jalosjos?

TITO: He had an inkling. He was seated between us, nasa stage sila Romy at saka yung mga anak. Sa gallery kaming lahat, mga empleyado. Si Tony nasa bandang gitna, nakaupo. He had an inkling of what… because nung nag-usap kami ni Romy na ako lang ang kausap, di ba, yung nasa Shangri-La The Fort, nung binanggit ko kay Tony, alam na rin ni Tony.

And there was already a misrepresentation kasi nung tumawag si Tony sa akin, sabi sa akin, “Pare, nagkausap na raw kayo ni Romy kanina.” “Oo,” sabi ko. Sabi ko, “Oo, kakausapin ko kayo.” “Iba ang sabi sa akin, e.” “Ano ang sabi sa yo?” “He said, ang sabi niya, he took it well.” I took it well daw, yun ang sinabi niya [Jalosjos]. Sabi ko kay Tony, “Anong I took it well? Ginagawan pa niya ako ng salita, a.” Sabi ko lang, “Sasabihin ko sa dalawa [Vic and Joey] yung sinasabi mo.” Yun ang sinabi ko. Wala akong sinasabing, “Okay yan [thumbs up].” Yun ang I took it well, di ba? “Okay, sige, gawin natin.” I never said that. I never did that.

JO-ANN: Paano naman yung utang na dinenay nila na may utang?

TITO: Dinenay sa media. Dinenay ni Bullet. Pero hindi maide-deny sa papel ‘cause si Jon Jalosjos mismo, siya ang nagpakita mismo sa akin nung listahan, e, kung kani-kanino sila may utang, e. Yung sa isang kapatid ko, may utang din sila, sa sales… kay Maru. Alam nila.

Sabi ko nga kay Vic at saka kay Joey, “As soon as we’re getting better with the finances, siyempre di babawas-bawasan natin yung… parang huhulug-hulugan.” We never talked to him [Bullet]… except that general assembly, nakaupo siya sa tabi ni Romy.

 

JO-ANN: In this setup, where does Romy come in again?

TITO: Wala, hindi pa namin nakakausap. Hindi humaharap sa amin. Si Jon ang humaharap sa amin…

 

PEP: Here is Bullet’s statement on rumored financial problem of Eat Bulaga: “Honestly, wala po no. I think lumabas lang po yung haka-haka o tsimis na yan, because when we transitioned, siyempre we have to study everything. So, siguro 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 can pay our talents. We can pay GMA. So, wala po talagang problema when it comes to money.”

Bullet also denied na hindi nababayaran si Vic ng isang taon. He was quoted saying, “That’s the reason why maganda po talaga na kung sana puwede rin makausap some of the talents, maimbita natin sa show din, to assure everyone we’re in good relations with the company, with the board, and tuluy-tuloy ang ligaya sa Eat Bulaga!.”

TITO: Hindi totoo yon…. Sinabi niya walang financial problem. The reason they are doing this, they said, is because of financial problem. Kaya kailangang magbawas ng suweldo ng mga tao, kailangan ay sila na ang magpatakbo, pati production. Hindi ako magtataka kung sabihin nila yung TAPE pag sila ang magpapatakbo imbes na si Tony. Pero production? Saan ka galing? I mean, hindi ba?

Bakit papalitan mo yung director na napakagaling, na 30-plus years na? Bakit papalitan mo yung head writer na siya may-ari ng ‘Bawal Judgmental,’ ‘Pinoy Henyo,’ siyempre ‘Juan For All,’ ‘Kalyeserye’… Bakit mo papalitan, di ba? Yun ang nakapagtataka, e. Paano mo biglang pakikialaman yung production? Unless you have another agenda… Well, meron silang gustong ipasok na portion na konektado sa party-list, mga ganun. Unless, let’s say, they want to hold on to the finances and let out Tony and the other guys from, ika nga, e, handling it. Wala akong nakikitang iba pa, e.

 

JO-ANN: Did Mr. T handle the finances perfectly?

TITO: Very well. As a matter of fact… I know for a fact na si Tony pag hirap na hirap, minsan nangungutang pa nga, kay Vic umuutang pa yun, e, kasi kailangan daw ni Romy ng pera sa Zamboanga del Norte. Kaya ito, sinasabi na nalulugi, sabi ni Bullet hindi, talagang hindi. Pero bakit sinasabi nila sa amin, nalulugi at kailangang magbawas ng suweldo? Papaano mong sasabihin yan… E, nakita ko yung SEC financial report ng TAPE for 2021, P213 million net profit. Net profit. 2021, pandemic, di ba? Less na less ang mga advertisements. Pero ni-report mo, P213 million net profit. Papanong ang 2022, na halos wala nang COVID at election year, ang daming political ads, sasabihin mo ngayon sa akin na hindi ka naka-P213 million net profits at nalulugi ka? Imposible, di ba? You must have used the money somewhere else. That’s the only explanation because I was told… we were told, we, hindi lang ako to, I’m relaying something that came from the people from the Finance department. We were told that the political ads nung campaign period, amounting to over P400 million, vanished. Somebody took it… Andudun kasama yung hindi nabayaran sila Vic.

 

JO-ANN: This money vanished because of which party? Some people might say…

TITO: Eat Bulaga! and Tuviera had nothing to do with that. Impossible. He handled the show very well, relationship sa amin and everything.

 

ERWIN: Who handles the finances in TAPE?

TITO: Yung… Zeny ang pangalan, ang first name. Tao siya ng TAPE. Ang tao ni Tony si Josie, ni-retire din nila si Josie. Tapos si Zeny ayaw nang makipag-usap sa amin ngayon.

 

JO-ANN: So, you are convinced that Mr. T has nothing to do with messy numbers?

TITO: One hundred percent. One hundred percent. As a matter of fact, he is as disappointed as we are. Makikita mo sa mukha niya pag nagmi-meeting kami na iniimbitahan siya… he looked depressed.

 

GORGY RULA: Nag-start daw po yung question kay Mr. T nung itinayo yung APT Studios? TAPE daw is paying the rental kay Mr. T

TITO: That’s possible… E, mas malaki yung nire-rent namin nung araw sa Broadway [Centrum]. Mabuti nga naisipan ni Tony na magtayo, for his own business, magtayo siya ng studios niya. It’s not for Eat Bulaga! lang naman yung studio niya, e. It’s being used by the other shoots, advertisements. Negosyo niya yun, e. That’s possible, kinainggitan.

 

GORGY: Parang sabi, kung nalulugi, bakit nakapagpatayo si Mr. T ng sarili niyang studio?

TITO: Hindi nalulugi. Paanong nalulugi, sabi mo sa gobyerno, P213 million ang net profits mo. Talk to a businessman, any businessman, ask them, when you say you have P213 million net profits, ano ang ibig sabihin nun? Nagsabi ka ba ng totoo? Malamang hindi. Ba’t mo ibu-bloat? Ibig sabihin nun, binawasan mo pa. Mas malaki pa dun yung kita mo, di ba? Ano yun, tingin ko inggit lang. Inggit kay Tony dun sa APT. Yun ang isa sa mga nakikita naming dahilan kung bakit nire-retire si Tony.

 

JO-ANN: Is it possible din naman na your good feelings for Mr. T…

TITO: Clouded? Nah. We’re very sure. We’ve been together for ages and there’s not a single time that Tony, ika nga, e, would be suspect or subject to something like ganyan. In fact, nagulat kami na inaamin ni Romy during the general assembly na he’s getting P10 million a month from Eat Bulaga!. Tinatanong nga ng mga empleyado sa likod ko, “For what? Ten a million a month, for what?”

 

PEP: Bullet said that every portion/segment of Eat Bulaga! has the approval of his father. Bullet was quoted saying, “My dad is an active chair which means he is actively involved in the production, with the designs, with the musicals, with some of the segments that we’re gonna have… now more so than ever. As always been, he’s been a… siya po yung last say talaga, e. So, every time there’s a new segment. Every time there’s a new show, pinapa-approve talaga yan kay Dad… ever since po.”

TITO: That’s another false story. Nakita mo naman yung sinabi ko sa yo, Miss Gay nga alam niya, e. It already dispels what Bullet said about his dad na each portion… ibig sabihin kahit nasa Muntinlupa siya, kini-clear namin? Hindi puwede, because in 1979, from the time that we started Eat Bulaga! up to now, all the portions na pinag-uusapan dun at iniimbento dun, iki-clear sa aming tatlo [TVJ] at kay Tony Tuviera, hindi or, at… They [Jalosjos/TAPE] don’t have anything to do with production. Paminsan-minsan merong nire-request na i-guest daw si ganito…

 

ERWIN: Sa tingin niyo po saan nakuha ni Bullet yung information na yun?

TITO: ‘Ba, ewan ko sa kanya. Definitely false. We’ve never seen him for 43 years in Eat Bulaga!, e. How would he know that? How can you say that?

 

JO-ANN: What is your personal theory?

TITO: Wala, inimbento yun para magmukha na si Romy is been there all along. They’ve been financing it before all along and have been a chairman of the board of TAPE all along, yeah. But they have nothing to do with production.

 

JO-ANN: So, itong pag-mess up ng status quo, what is you theory? Why?

TITO: I don’t know. Basta nung kausap namin si Jon at sinabi namin na, “Ba’t ginawa ni Bullet yan?” “I’ll take care of my brother,” sabi niya. Sabi ko, “Ah, teka muna…” Si Vic yata ang nagsabi, “You cannot prevent us from talking to the media now because inumpisahan niyo, e.” So now, yung question mo, Jo-Ann, let’s see.

Basta ako, I told the truth. Why? From the time that I was vice mayor in 1988 up to the present na naging 24-year senator ako, two years sa Cabinet in between, every time I talk to the media, I know I am talking to the public. I never lied. As much as accurate yung sinasabi ko, I say it. If I’m not sure, I say it also, ganun yun. Because when I… pag humarap ako sa media, nung araw pa hanggang ngayon, yun ang natutunan ko, kung ayaw mong masira record mo, huwag kang magsisinungaling. Kung hindi mo kayang sagutin, huwag mong sagutin.

Di ba, nakita mo sa Senate minsan, may tatanungin sila sa akin, ang Senate press paboritung-pabirito akong i-presscon ng mga yun, e. Pag tatanungin ako tapos meron akong tagilid, hindi ko kayang sagutin, nakita mo naman ang sagot ko, “I refuse to answer,” sabay tawa. Ayoko nga, e, tagilid, e, pag sinagot ko yan. Parang ganun. Because I don’t do that, I never do that. Kaya I’m so… naaano kami, e, nabagabag kami, disappointed kami dun sa may status quo biglang lalabas kayo sa media, magsasabi kayo ng inaccurate or false?

ERWIN: Kumusta na po ang atmosphere ngayon sa Eat Bulaga! dahil sa isyung ito?

TITO: Everything’s well because wala naman sila dun, e. Nagpupunta lang sila dun pagka merong meeting pag Saturday.

 

JO-ANN: But they can change the conditions of the show at any time, they can make decisions…

TITO: If we will follow. If the production will follow. Di ba? They’re all disappointed, e, production, lahat. I’m just the loudspeaker. I’m airing out some of the things that they have been saying and have been complaining about. Isipin mo pinagre-retire ka tapos papapirmahin kayo, “Hindi, sige, ire-rehire ka namin ulit, ganito na ang suweldo…” Tapos all of a sudden, after a few days ago lang, binawi lahat. Binawi. Sabi nga ni Jenny Ferre sa akin, “Hindi namin malaman…,” tapos may iba na kakagat, tapos wala pala.

 

ROMMEL LLANES: How is your personal relationship with the Jalosjos? Do you invite them to your family’s special occasions?

TITO: The wedding of Ciara [Tito’s youngest child] because Jojo [Oconer], the ex-husband of Ciara works for them. Si Jojo ang nag-imbita. Si Jojo works for TAPE… Wala kaming relationship.

 

ROMMEL: What about Vic and Joey?

TITO: Lalo na. E, ako ang pulitiko, e, kaya puwede akong kausap ng mga yun, e.

 

ERWIN: Since sila yung producer ng show, bakit walang relationship between the hosts and the Jalosjos?

TITO: Because Tony Tuviera is handling everything. Kaya si Tony Tuviera ang kausap namin. Si Tony Tuviera ang kasama namin all this time. You know how close we are? We do not have a contract, because of Tony. We’re the only, what do you call this, big stars on television that do not have a contract because yung samahan namin nina Tony. Tapos ire-retire mo si Tony, di ba? And then, ang dialogue pa ni Mayor Jalosjos, “We’re retaining them.” Retaining? Won’t you be hurt? Ibig sabihin nun, puwede ka palang alisin, di ba?

 

ERWIN: What’s your reaction to Bullet’s statement that, “Eat Bulaga! cannot live without TVJ. And I think, personally, TVJ also cannot live without Eat Bulaga!” Do you agree?

TITO: No. No. Remember, binuhay yang Eat Bulaga! ng Iskul Bukol. Di ba, I told you the story? So, may suweldo kami sa Iskul Bukol kaya natiis namin yung blood, sweat, and tears ang puhunan namin sa Eat Bulaga!, na hindi naman kami mapasuweldo ng isang taon. At pinangakuan kami ng share na wala pala. After 43 years, malalaman namin na wala.

 

JO-ANN: On TAPE’s utang to Vic and Joey… Hindi ba tinanggap ng TAPE na may utang sila kina Vic and Joey?

TITO: Wala pa, hindi pa rin nagbabayad…. Ah, tinanggap, tinanggap. Si Bullet lang nagsabing hindi, na wala. Siya lang ang nagsabi sa TV na wala kaya yan ang sinasabi ko, huwag kang haharap sa publiko na nagsisinungaling ka or hindi mo alam. Hindi mo pala alam dapat ang sinagot mo, di ba, ‘I don’t know.’

 

JO-ANN: Hindi pa bayad hanggang ngayon?

ITO: Hindi. Eto pa… ewan ko kung mapi-pick up ng BIR yan, si Vic, I don’t know about Joey, si Vic kinakaltasan ng VAT pero hindi niya natatanggap yung suweldo. Alam ni Vic kasi dumadating sa kanya yung… di ba, Top 100 si Vic na [taxpayer] ng BIR? Natatanggap niya na nagbabayad siya ng VAT dun sa dapat niyang suwelduhin pero hindi niya natatanggap yung suweldo. How do you explain that? Mabait lang kami, e. nakikisama lang kami. Mahal namin yung programa, e. Don’t they realize that? Di ba?

 

JO-ANN: What’s your arrangement with TAPE as far as your salary’s concerned?

TITO: Ay, ako ang pinakamababa run kasi nga lagi naman akong naka-out, e, di ba? If I’m elected into a higher position, I take leave. Hindi ko ginagamit yung programa. Nung senator ako, umaakyat lang ako once a week. Nung Senate President ako, hindi ako maka-attend kahit once a week. Uma-attend lang ako pag merong anniversary, merong birthdays, iniimbita nila ako. Yun lang.

 

JO-ANN: Do you get paid when you appear?

TITO: Yes. I have salary which is very meager compared to the salary of Vic and Joey.

 

JO-ANN: Hindi naman nila inutang yun?

TITO: Hindi. Maliit, e. Hehehe.

 

ERWIN: So, with the ongoing problem with the Jalosjos, paano magpapatuloy ang Eat Bulaga! ngayon?

TITO: Well, kaya naming ipatuloy, ewan ko kung ano ang iniisip nila. Basta kami, iutuloy namin to. Itutuloy naman namin. Ngayon, kung ire-retain nila yung status quo na, you know, zip it and just go on with the program, then gusto pa rin nila yung mga pinag-usapan na dapat gawin sa mga publiko para makabawi sila kung ano yung sinasabi nila, di ba, di okay tayo. We can wait until December and let’s see how it goes. But if not, you know, if magpapatuloy na magsasalita sa media ng iba, e, teka muna, palagay ko, we have to take one step back and think over our situation.

 

JO-ANN: Is there a scenario where the three of you, the three main players, seizing the name Eat Bulaga!, sets it up as a separate production in a separate network?

TITO: That’s possible. That’s possible. As a matter of fact, I am not… well, how do I say it, I have no problem saying that we’re getting offers from two other stations.

(Editor’s Note: TAPE still has a contract with GMA-7 until 2025).

 

JO-ANN: Have you consulted a lawyer?

TITO: Of course. We have acquired the services of DivinaLaw to look into everything, into the situation. Kasi it’s not for us, ha, it’s not because of us, it’s because of the small people in the production, yung mga maliliit ang suweldo.

 

JO-ANN: TAPE is left with TAPE as TAPE, but they have to create another show.

TITO: That’s possible.

 

GORGY: How about the other Dabarkads?

TITO: They’re all supportive of it, of us. Everyone is disappointed in the retirement of Tony and the suggestions that they want to do with production. Kaya nga kinontra namin… Yung mga gustong gawin sa production, example, gustong alisin yung ‘Bawal Judgmental.’… Gustong alisin ni Romy, he’s bored. Boring daw. Alam mo gustong ipalit? Search for Kasambahay…

‘Maid in the Philippines’ nung una, okay. So, after two years, three years, may sponsor, e, ibinalik namin, flop. Yun pala, lumalabas sa analysis namin, kasi may research naman kami lagi, e, hindi naman TAPE, kami, Eat Bulaga!, e, may mga research kami. Ang research, yung kasambahay, ayaw nilang ma-highlight na kasambahay sila. Kaya sila mismo, hindi nila pinapanood yung sarili nila. Parang ganun, e… They’re not happy to be, you know?… Gusto nila ibalik.

And they wanted to remove si Ryzza [Mae Dizon], gusto palitan ng ibang bata na taga-Dipolog… Pag-usapan muna namin yun. Kung isang bata lang naman, okay lang. Pero hindi aalisin si Ryzza, sinabi namin. Oo naman daw. Kasi yung gusto nilang i-promote na bata, puwede ngang matulungan ni Ryzza yun, e. Di ba, puwedeng maging ka-tandem para mas madaling sumikat kung gusto nilang sumikat.

 

ERWIN: What can you assure to the loyal viewers of Eat Bulaga!?

TITO: Basta sabi ko nga, ang gusto namin, as much as possible, insulate Eat Bulaga! from the controversies. Eat Bulaga! has been helping people, even from the time na nagkokolekta kami ng plastic, ginagawa naming silya, tapos nagwa-‘Juan For All,’ nagbibigay ng pera sa mga tao… hanggang ngayon nagbibigay sa mga nangangailangan. We want to preserve that. We want to continue with that, the portions that the people enjoy—‘Pinoy Henyo,’ mga ganun. We want to continue with that. Sabi nga mga Amerikano, ‘Why fix it if it ain’t broke?’

 

JO-ANN: But right now it seems like you can’t keep things quiet anymore.

TITO: We didn’t start it, di ba? E, ang usapan namin, yung status quo, tahimik, tahimik tayo, okay na, tingnan na lang muna natin.’

 

JO-ANN: So Joey and Vic are preparing already to talk also?

Tito: One of these days, they will… basta medyo napikon yung mga yon, lalo na si Vic, he was planning to call for a presscon. Sabi niya kay Jon Jalosjos nung nagmi-meeting kami, “Gusto ko na ngang magpa-presscon, e, tapos biglang ganyan.” “Hindi,” sabi ko, “let’s just answer the allegations and correct it. Itama natin lalo na yung mga false information. Itama natin.” Yun ang gusto namin. Ngayon, depende kung anong reaction nila, ayaw nila sa totoo, magagalit sila sa nagsabi ng totoo, we’ll cross the bridge when we get there.

JO-ANN: So, in the meantime, yung mga Dabarkads, people na mga talents surrounding you, medyo uneasy pa rin at saka…

TITO: Well, yung ibang mga kasama namin, uncomfortable, really. Every time nagkikita kami… Ako naman, every Saturday lang, e, si Joey almost every day pumapasok ngayon. Si Vic, naka-Zoom Monday to Friday, Saturday lang din siya pumapasok nang live, e. Pero pag nagkikita kami ng Sabado nina Jose, nina Wally, nina Allan, they always ask. They’re also worried. Sinasabi namin, “Don’t worry, okay naman ang usapan….”

JO-ANN: Ang nakakatakot niyan kung may nag-invest ng long-term, kunyari may hinuhulugang bahay… nakakatakot.

TITO: Correct. Kawawa naman, kaya yun lagi ang iniisip ko, kawawa yung mga empleyado naming maliliit na dun lang umaasa… They started from the ranks. And then, natataasan sila sa suweldo? Forty-three years, hindi ka magre-raise? Dapat yan taon-taon. E, kumikita ka naman… Kaya ganun ang suweldo nila ngayon, because through the years. But all of a sudden, papasok ka, ibababa mo ngayon yun, yung puhunan ng 43 years. O yung iba, 35 years.

ERWIN: Maraming tao ang maaapektuhan, hindi lang yung mga empleyado kundi pati yung viewers. Siyempre, binuo yun [Eat Bulaga!] ng 44 years…

TITO: Hindi lang yun… it’s a bit worrisome, really, kung tutuusin. Kung ako sila, preserve the status quo na pinag-usapan natin. Tigilan yung magsasalita nang mali sa publiko. Ako, yun ang nakikita kong dapat gawin, naming lahat, hindi lang ng TAPE, pati kami, dahil it’s not gonna do good for the show…

JO-ANN: You just felt justified this time because they put out stuff in public.

TITO: Oo. Kung hindi sila nagsalita nang ganun, wala kayong maririnig sa amin. Hindi nga kami nagpapa-interview… Ayaw nga naming guluhin yung bangka, baka tumaob, e, di ba?