Raffy Tulfo
Rafael Teshiba Tulfo is a Filipino politician, broadcast journalist, and media personality currently serving as a Senator of the Philippines since 2022.
His works are focused on government and private sector issues, and he is best known as the host of the long-running public affairs radio program Wanted sa Radyo, and the former anchor of Aksyon sa Tanghali from 2014 to 2020 that featured the segment "Ipa-Raffy Tulfo Mo". His YouTube channel Raffy Tulfo in Action, which features videos from both shows, is the third-most subscribed Filipino YouTube channel as of 2021. Tulfo sought a seat in the Philippine senate in the 2022 election and won placing third overall with 23 million votes. Tulfo serves as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Senate Committee on Migrant Workers.
Tulfo in 2021
Rafael Teshiba Tulfo was born in Quezon City on March 12, 1960. He is the son of Ramon Tulfo Sr., a colonel in the Philippine Constabulary, and Caridad (née Teshiba), a housewife, who died in 2024, at the age of 97. He is the eighth out of ten siblings which includes Tuchi, Bong, Joseph, Edelle, broadcasters Ramon, Ben, Erwin, as well as former tourism secretary Wanda Corazon Teo. Tulfo would describe his family as middle class.
A college dropout, Tulfo spent four years in different universities and studied several majors including economics, political science, agribusiness and commerce but did not finish a degree before becoming a journalist.
Broadcast career
Tulfo is associated with TV5.[18] Although he would start his broadcasting career with the People's Television Network (PTV).
Tulfo's first television program was Philippines' Most Wanted which aired from 1995 to 2002. He co-hosted it with Nina Taduran. The program was produced by his uncle and aunt. It was with Most Wanted when Tulfo began to be referred to as "idol".
He would be known for the radio broadcast program Wanted sa Radyo as well in YouTube for Raffy Tulfo in Action (RTIA).
Political career
Tulfo would endorse the ACT-CIS Partylist for the 2019 House of Representatives elections, with the organization managing to garner three seats in the lower house. He himself in August 2019, has initially stated that he had no plans to enter politics as a candidate in the 2022 elections insisting that he is satisfied in his current situation and would focus on "public service".
On October 2, 2021, Tulfo would change his mind and filed his certificate of candidacy for senator as an independent candidate for the 2022 senatorial election. On February 8, 2022, he joined the senatorial slate of presidential candidate Manny Pacquiao. Tulfo finished in third place, receiving 23,396,954 votes, and was proclaimed as Senator on May 18, 2022. Tulfo was later elected as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy.
