LOOK: TVJ, Dabarkads share first lunch together in TV5 office
Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey De Leon—or more popularly known as TVJ—as well as their fellow Dabarkads, had their first lunch together at the TV5 headquarters in Mandaluyong a week after announcing that they're joining the network.
Ryan Agoncillo hosted a Facebook Live using the TVJ official page on June 14, approaching everybody on the TV5 premises including co-hosts Paolo Ballesteros, Wally Bayola, Jose Manalo, and Allan K., as well as Kapatid executives and staff members.
“Mga Dabarkads, alas-12 na!” Agoncillo said. “First lunch namin dito. Ang bongga, pangmayaman 'yung setup!"
The vlog-style 11-minute video showed everybody having a good time as they enjoy generous servings of Filipino dishes.
"I hope masarap ang lunch niyo today. Kami ito, ine-enjoy ang first lunch with TV5," Agoncillo said.
When Agoncillo approached Bayola, the latter said that aside from lunch, they also did interviews and photoshoots in preparation for the Dabarkads' debut on the network.
They didn't specify whether they'll run the show under the Eat Bulaga! name as it did on GMA Network for the past 44 years. To date, TVJ is in a copyright and trademark battle against their former producer TAPE Inc.
"Mga Dabarkads, malapit na malapit na 'yan and pakaabangan ninyo 'yan," Agoncillo said at the end of the live video, "kasi excited na excited na rin kami. Dabarkads, see you!"
The video has garnered over 86,000 reactions, 45,000 comments, and 733,000 views as of writing.
Last May 31, TVJ announced that they're parting ways with TAPE amid several issues, including a would-be rebranding at the behest of TAPE bosses.
After TVJ's announcement, Eat Bulaga! staff members, including hosts, writers, sales, production, and cameramen, tendered their resignation.
MediaQuest, the company that runs and operates TV5, on June 7 announced that the Dabarkads will produce content for TV5 and its other platforms including Cignal TV.
Since June 5, Eat Bulaga! aired on live television as usual, but with new hosts Paolo Contis, Buboy Villar, Betong Sumaya, Alexa Miro, Cassy Legaspi, and Mavy Legaspi.