MANILA, Philippines: Amid rumors that the long-running "Eat Bulaga" will go off-air due to financial woes, host Tito Sotto said they would release the noontime show's income tax return to refute the claims.
Reports and social media posts claimed the show — which transferred home from GMA Network to TV5 — had negative earnings because of production cost. They added that for two months, Media Quest, TVJ's co producer for the show, had not earned from Eat Bulaga.
"Para mapatunayan na tayo'y hindi nagsisinungaling at sila ang mga sinungaling, bukas bibigyan natin ang media ng kopya ng ating file sa income tax para makita nila (To prove that we are not lying and they are the ones lying, tomorrow we will give the media a copy of our income tax file so they can see it for themselves)," Sotto said at the show's episode on April 17 2024.
As of posting time, on Thursday, entertainment media have not received a copy of the income tax return.
"Kaya sa mga Dabarkads at sa mga ilang hindi Dabarkads, yung mga nagsasalita ng mga ganun, mga sinungaling yun, kaya huwag na kayong maniwala sa mga yun (So to the Dabarkads, and to those who are not Dabarkads, don't believe those liars)," Sotto added.
Co-host Joey De Leon, meanwhile, did not mince words and said those who were spreading unverified reports were simply "naiinggit" or jealous.
"Naiinggit lang ang mga yan dahil hindi sila kasali sa Top 5 longest-running shows in the world (They're just jealous because they're not part of the Top 5 longest-running shows in the world)," de Leon said.
De Leon was pertaining to the post he made on his social media accounts where he shared a snapshot of a local YouTube video that Eat Bulaga was among the top longest running shows based on the number of episodes.
Included in the list found on Wikipedia were Germany's "Unser Sandmännchen" (with more than 22,000 episodes), India's "Krishi Darshan" (16,780 episodes), US' "Guiding Light" (15,762), "General Hospital" (15,455), "Days of Our Lives" (14,430) and "As the World Turns" (13,858).
Eat Bulaga landed on the seventh spot with 13,493 episodes.
However, "Guiding Light" and "As the World Turns" finished broadcasting in 2009 and 2010, which would make Eat Bulaga included in the Top 5 of ongoing programs.
In terms of longest-running shows in the world based on number of years, Eat Bulaga is the 32nd but the only Filipino show on the Wikipedia list.
"Ito muna ang hamon ko, umabot lang kayo ng 15 years, baka luluhod ako sa harap niyo. Fifteen lang ha, hindi 50 years... (Here's my challenge for you: just reach 15 years, and I might kneel before you. Just fifteen, not 50 years..." de Leon challenged.
"Bastusan na kasi ang labanan, e. Bastusan na, siraan, walang kuwenta. Enjoy lang tayo. Umabot muna kayo ng 45 years. Longest-running, Top 5 in the world Mainggit kayo (The competition has turned ugly. No need for insults or tearing each other down. Let's just enjoy. Reach 45 years first. [We're] longest-running, Top 5 in the world)
"Kasama naman kayo dapat doon kasi Pilipinas ang dala namin. Bakit kayo ganyan? Ang sasama ng ugali ninyo (You should also be proud because we represent the Philippines. Why are you like that? You are so bad)," de Leon finally said.
Vic Sotto — who completes TVJ, the senior trio host of the show — remained quiet during the segment.
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