A writer writes an open letter to Television and Production Exponents (TAPE) Inc. demanding the company stop using the segment that he allegedly wrote for the show.

In his Facebook post, Jericho Sison Calingal publicly called out TAPE for their continuous use of ‘EB Happy’ segment despite his request.

“2 weeks nyo na pong ginagamit ng sapilitan ang IP ko,” said Calingal. “At dahil po dyan ive already filed a COPYRIGHT REGISTRATION for the said title sa Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines for Entertainment services in the nature of live visual and audio performances, and musical, variety, news and comedy shows.”

“How can i prove that its my IP? I have screenshots,conversations and original scripts to back it up. Pag-isipin nyo po ng ibang title at format ang mga writers nyo. Huwag po sana kayong mapagsamantala. Again MAAYOS po akong nakipagusap sa inyo,” he added.

In another post, Calingal shared the complete story of why he could prove that he had the rights to the said segment.

According to him, he was hired as a writer for Eat Bulaga on July 5, 2023, to create another version of ‘Bulagaan’.

He also created a team of writers to assist him in creating the said segment.

Calingal explained that he only wanted TAPE to stop using the title that he created for the segment.

“Ano po ang issue ko? Pwede naman po nilang ipagpatuloy ang segment basta Ibahin na lang po nila ang title. Kasi ang usapan po namin Jan ay Gagamitin lang ang title na yan pag kami ang magsusulat ng segment every Saturday. ANONG PROOF KO NG USAPAN. SADLY WALA PO ITS ALL VERBAL AGREEMENT PO,” he said.

Calingal also narrated that he felt disrespected when the head writer of Eat Bulaga changed the skit for the segment to lengthen it.

To resolve the issue, Calingal said that they held a meeting with the said head writer, but he made it clear that the Jalosjos brothers were not present during the discussion.

Two days after the incident, he received a message from a top official of TAPE, informing him that the showing of EB Happy would be postponed indefinitely.

However, the following week, Calingal was informed that EB Happy was being aired again without his permission.

“Dumating ang July 22 ng 2:18 ng hapon..tumawag ang isa sa mga co writers ko..at sinabing may EB HAPPY segment daw at kasulukuyan nyang pinapanood. Me and him was hurt. Bakit ako nasaktan? Kasi maayos kaming nag kausap. ang usapan kami ang magsusulat ng content ng segment every saturday. Feeling ko naisahan kami ng writer nila…yung mga writer nila(writer ng games and spiels) nagaabang lang ng idea na maganda tapos pag panget dededmahin,pero pag click I keclaim na lang nila ng walang kaabog abog. Bilang writer at creatives, that hurts,” he said.

“Naalala ko po nung unang airing ng EB HAPPY,Happy at Pumapalakpak ang mga Boss Nag congratulate ang mga Boss dun sa HEADWRITER. Pero kaming mga totoong nakaisip ng content..walang appreciation kahit kunti sa kahit kanino sa kanila. kaya ayun nag pa picture na lang kaming 4 na segment writer with the boss…” he added.

Calingal clarified that he was happy working with TAPE, but he said that his rights must be respected and they should stop using the title of EB Happy without his permission.

As of writing, TAPE Inc. has yet to give response to Calingal’s claims.

Some AlDub fans were still in denial of the fact that television host Maine Mendoza was already married to actor-politician Arjo Atayde.

In several tweets, a certain group of the defunct love team made different theories to cater to their fantasy that Alden and Maine were together.

The said group, which was led by Mila Cambal claimed that Arjo married Maine’s ‘clone’ and that the ‘real’ television host was already living with Alden and their three children.

According to them, the relationship between Arjo and Maine was part of the ‘zarzuela’ or show orchestrated by GMA and Eat Bulaga to allegedly hide the marriage of the television host and Alden.

They also called the wedding fake, saying that Super Sireyna 2018 contestant Mari Jean Montecillo volunteered to marry Arjo to make the public believe that Maine really married the actor-politician.

However, this amusing theory by AlDub fans was debunked by Mari Jean herself, calling it ‘fake’

Mari Jean clarified that she has been in a relationship but not with Arjo.

“Ayan ha fake news! Hahaha!” she said.

According to some netizens, the reason why some AlDub fans were having delusions was because of their extreme love for the love team that gave them happiness for several years.

Some of them were in denial because they felt ‘betrayed’ after Maine and Alden decided to separate ways.

“For a period of time, Aldub (Alden and Maine being a legit couple) was one of the few things that these folks were 100% sure about. It gave those folks both that sense of “kilig” as well as that sense of stability and that feeling that they have some control over this chaotic world.” Redditor dr_franck said.

“No matter how wild, weird or downright tragic the events in their personal lives were in 2015, they CAN rely on Aldub to make them feel good for a while and even make them feel good about themselves. So when Aldub discontinued, it felt like a betrayal. The one source of certainty in their life was shattered,” he added.

Most fans who made the same claims also belonged to the elderly age group so some experts believed that most of them were just bored or alone and only their fantasy that Alden and Maine were still together was the only thing that gave them comfort.

Despite the well-documented wedding of Arjo Atayde and Maine Mendoza, several AlDub fans still couldn’t absorb the reality and insisted that the event was fake or scripted.

In several tweets, AlDub fans claimed that Arjo married Mari Jean Montecillo and not Maine.

They even said that the real Maine was taking care of her three children with Alden Richards.

It can be recalled that Mari Jean joined Eat Bulaga’s segment ‘Super Sireyna’ in 2018 and proclaimed herself as Maine’s look-a-like.

We are trying to reach Mari Jean to get her comment on the issue.

Maine and Alden already denied the claims of some of their fans.

The television host even shared that she became tired of explanation about the truth to some of her fans that’s why she’s just trying to ignore them now.

Even veteran columnist Cristy Fermin couldn’t hide her concern on the welfare of some AlDub fans.

“Opo, dapat na talaga nagpapatingin tayo kapagka ganyan. Na alam naman natin walang anak si Alden at si Maine at hindi sila naging mag-asawa at hindi magiging mag-asawa, pero pinaniniwalaan pa rin natin. Iba na po ito. Medyo dumalaw na po tayo sa ating mga doktor at baka naman po may nagaganap na,” Cristy said.

Eat Bulaga host Paolo Contis admitted that they were affected by being called ‘fake’ by the critics of Television and Production Exponents (TAPE) Inc. after being put as a replacement for the Dabarkads who left the show on May 31, 2023.

During the closing spiel of Eat Bulaga on July 29, 2023, Paolo insisted that they’re not fake and their intention to help the people and make them happy was legitimate.

‘MASAKIT PO SA’MIN KAPAG TINATAWAG NIYO KAMING ‘FAKE BULAGA’’ Paolo started.

“Sa 44 years, lahat po tayo ay naging bahagi nito. Hindi po maiiwasan na may mga magsasabi na wala naman po kaming ambag dahil bago lamang po kami dito. Pero ang mahalaga lahat naman po ay ginagawa namin para ipagpatuloy ang pagbibigay ng saya at tulong sa inyo.

“Hindi na po kami mahalaga. Maaari pong dumating ang araw hindi na rin kami ang andito pero basta ang mahalaga ay ipagpapatuloy namin ang matagal ng hangarin ng Eat Bulaga. Ang magbigay ng tulong at saya,” he also said.

Several hosts couldn’t stop themselves from being emotional while listening to Paolo.

It can be recalled that ‘Fake Bulaga’ term was made popular by veteran columnist Cristy Fermin who’s an active supporter of Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon.

“Hindi ko alam kung anong itatawag ko diyan. Sa kanilang… napapahinto ako. Fake Bulaga ba? O ano bang sasabihin ko? Kasi hindi talaga sila original,” Cristy said.