MAVERICK television journalist and one-fifth of the famed Tulfo siblings Ben Tulfo is joining the Philippine political scene by uttering this carefully crafted phrase, “the journey begins now!” to a crowd of thousands packed at Marawi City Hall Gymnasium on September 25.
Leading in unsolicited senatorial surveys by reputable private census firms for quite some time, Tulfo has decided to notch another step in his career.
“As a journalist, my task is to tell the truth. But one can only help as much. So I decided to do more and become an advocate,” Tulfo said.
He was referring about the birth of Bitag, an investigative show launched in 2005 and continues to the present in various platforms from television to stream, netting more than 11,000 episodes.
Tulfo is brother to columnist Ramon Tulfo, Sen. Raffy Tulfo and ACT-CIS Rep. Erwin Tulfo. Together they are known as the Tulfo brothers. (Their female sibling Wanda Teo is a former tourism secretary.)
Despite being perceived as a political dynasty, Ben Tulfo is proud of the family brand.
“Once we enter public service, we deliver. We don’t just walk the talk, we walk the walk,” Tulfo said, modifying a popular idiom.
Tulfo said his first focus will be strengthening the Ease of Doing Business Act.
“We can talk about the economy, we can talk about governance and how we can improve the whole system even better,” Tulfo said.
Tulfo was in Marawi City on Thursday to receive an honorary award as an adopted son of the city, having been born there to nomad parents.
His siblings were born elsewhere in Mindanao, necessitated by his colonel-father’s assignment in the defunct Philippine Constabulary.
“Pag ako’y nakaupo na, gusto akong makilala na ang gentleman from Marawi City,” Tulfo said to the cheers of the Meranaws.
