The Honorable
Erwin Tulfo
Tulfo in 2022
Deputy Majority Leader of the Philippine House of Representatives
Assumed office
August 9, 2023
LeaderManuel Jose Dalipe
Member of the Philippine House of Representatives for ACT-CIS Partylist
Assumed office
May 30, 2023
Preceded byJeffrey Soriano
27th Secretary of Social Welfare and Development
Ad interim
In office
June 30, 2022 – December 27, 2022
PresidentBongbong Marcos
Preceded byRolando Joselito Bautista
Succeeded byEdu Punay (OIC)
Personal details
Born
Erwin Teshiba Tulfo
Citizenship
  • Philippines
  • United States (1986–2022)
Political partyACT-CIS
Parents
  • Ramon S. Tulfo Sr. (father)
  • Caridad Teshiba Tulfo (mother)
Relatives
EducationUniversity of the East (BS)
Occupation
Military service
AllegianceUnited States United States
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
Years of service1988–1992

Erwin Teshiba Tulfo (Tagalog: [ˈɛɾwin ˈtulpɔ]) is a Filipino politician, a former news anchor, broadcaster, and columnist. He currently serves as a representative for ACT-CIS Partylist and a Deputy Majority Leader of the Philippine House of Representatives since 2023.[1][2] He previously served as the Secretary of Social Welfare and Development from June 30 to December 27, 2022, when his appointment was blocked and bypassed by the Commission on Appointments, during the presidency of Bongbong Marcos.

He previously worked with PTV's flagship primetime news program Ulat Bayan and one of its AM radio counterpart Radyo Pilipinas (RP1)'s Tutok Erwin Tulfo. He was the host of Tutok Tulfo, co-host of T3: Kapatid Sagot Kita! together with his brothers Raffy and Ben, and one of news anchors of Aksyon on TV5 and AksyonTV. He has also worked for ABS-CBN, Radio Philippines Network (RPN), and Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (IBC).

Biography

Tulfo is the son of Colonel Ramon Silvestre Tulfo Sr., who was a member of Philippine Constabulary, and Caridad Teshiba-Tulfo, a housewife. His brothers include Ramon, Ben, and Raffy Tulfo, who are all his fellow journalists with Raffy also being an incumbent senator. His sister, Wanda Corazon Teo, was a tourism secretary during the Duterte administration.[3]

He served in the United States Army from 1988 to 1992. He graduated with a bachelor of science in Business Administration from the University of the East in 2005. He is the host of his public service brand Mission X, which eventually evolved into the Erwin Tulfo Action Center.[4]

Controversies

In 2008, Tulfo was found guilty by the Supreme Court of the Philippines of four counts of libel and was sentenced to pay a fine of ₱6,000 for each count and, along with his co-accused, ₱1,000,000 to the complainant as moral damages. The cases stemmed from multiple articles he wrote and published in the tabloid Remate which accused a Bureau of Customs official of being "an extortionist, a corrupt public official, smuggler and having illegally acquired wealth".[5][6]

During the aftermath of the 2010 Manila hostage crisis, Tulfo was severely criticized for his on-air phone interview with hostage-taker Rolando Mendoza which was said to have escalated the incident leading to the deaths of eight hostages.[7][8][9]

Senate inquiry on the ₱60-million corruption scandal of Wanda Tulfo Teo and her brothers Ben Tulfo and Erwin Tulfo.

In 2018, it was revealed by the Commission on Audit that the Department of Tourism (DOT), then headed by Tulfo's sister Wanda, paid around ₱60 million to Bitag Media Unlimited Inc., a media outfit headed by their brother Ben, to place tourism ads on Kilos Pronto, a blocktimer show on PTV-4 hosted by Tulfo.[10] The transactions were not supported with proper documents such as a memorandum of agreement or contract. On May 8, Wanda Tulfo Teo resigned from her post.[10][11][12] She stressed that she did not know that her brothers were running the television show[13] and that it was a government-to-government contract between the tourism department and People's Television Network.[10] The Tulfo brothers afterwards promised that they will return the ₱60 million.[14][15] However, on June 17, 2018, it was revealed that they have not yet returned the money they received from the DOT.[16] In August 2018, then-Senator Antonio Trillanes IV declared that he will press plunder charges against the Tulfo siblings.[17]

On May 31, 2019, Tulfo made an on-air tirade against Social Welfare Secretary and retired Army Commanding General Rolando Bautista for refusing to interview with him.[18] A few days later, thousands signed a petition demanding Tulfo to apologize.[19] The Philippine Military Academy Alumni Association condemned Tulfo's remarks against the former Philippine Army chief.[20] Tulfo has apologized to Bautista for his remarks.[21]

In 2022, Tulfo's citizenship was disputed when he was appointed Secretary of Social Welfare and Development by then-President-elect Bongbong Marcos in May 2022.[22][23] In December, the Commission on Appointments bypassed his appointment for the second time due to his American citizenship, which he had admitted to have from 1986 to renouncing it in early 2022,[23] and his conviction on four counts of libel.[24]

Other ventures

Tulfo is also a franchisee and endorser of Siomai King, a food cart business selling Philippine siomai.[25]

Filmography

Television

Television
YearTitleCharacterNetwork
1987–1992PTV Weekend ReportNews AnchorPTV
1987–1995Pangunahing Balita
1995–1996Magandang Umaga PoHostABS-CBN
1996–2006Alas Singko Y Medya/Magandang Umaga Bayan/Magandang Umaga, Pilipinas
1996–2004ABS-CBN Weekend NewsNews Anchor
1995–1999Hoy Gising!Himself
1999–2000Mission–XHost
2000–2002Pangako Sa 'YoHimself (Cameo)
2001–2006Magandang Gabi, BayanHost
2004–2005TV Patrol Sabado/Linggo (now TV Patrol Weekend)News Anchor
2004–2005ABS-CBN InsiderNews Anchor
2005–2006Isumbong Mo: Tulfo BrothersHimselfRPN
2006–2007RPN NewsWatch Aksyon BalitaNews Anchor
2007–2009BitagCo-hostIBC
2010–2017AksyonNews AnchorTV5
2010–2012Tutok TulfoHost
2010–2011Sapul sa SingkoHost/Anchor
2011–2016T3: AllianceHost
2013–2014Good Morning ClubHost/Anchor
2014–2016Yaman ng BayanHost
2017–2018Kilos ProntoCo-hostPTV
PTV NewsNews Anchor
2020–2022Ulat BayanNews Anchor

Radio

YearTitleStation
2010–2018; 2023–presentPunto Asintado with Aljo BendijoRadyo Pilipinas (RP1) (formerly Radyo5 92.3 News FM)
2018–2022Tutok Erwin TulfoRadyo Pilipinas (RP1)
2006–2010RMN News NationwideDZXL 558
2023Erwin Tulfo on-air with Niña CorpuzRadyo Pilipinas (RP1)

Awards

PMPC Star Awards for Television
  • Best Male Newscaster (2014, 2015 and 2016)
Inding-Indie Short Film Festival
  • Asian Best Broadcasters Award (2015)
  • Most Trusted Media Personalities for Radio and Television Award (2016)

References

  1. ↑ Mangaluz, Jean (May 30, 2023). "Erwin Tulfo sworn in as ACT-CIS party-list rep". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  2. ↑ Quismoro, Ellson (August 9, 2023). "Erwin Tulfo gets named House deputy majority leader". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  3. ↑ Jiminez, Josephus (August 14, 2019). "Who is afraid of the Tulfo brothers?". The Philippine Star. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  4. ↑ Ombay, Giselle (May 31, 2022). "Erwin Tulfo to close charitable center to avoid conflict with DSWD job". GMA News. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  5. ↑ G.R. No. 161032 (September 16, 2008), "ERWIN TULFO v. PEOPLE", The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation, Inc., retrieved August 9, 2023
  6. ↑ Abillar, Adel (November 17, 2021). "[OPINION] Isumbong mo si Tulfo". Rappler. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  7. ↑ Andrade, Jeannette (May 26, 2013). "Broadcast commentator Erwin Tulfo to help in hostage negotiations". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on August 26, 2010. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  8. ↑ Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (June 16, 2011). "KBP: Media should not be negotiators". Inquirer News. INQUIRER.net. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  9. ↑ Santiago, Katrina Stuart (August 23, 2011). "No apologies, no excuses: The Manila Hostage Massacre". GMA News Online. GMA Network. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  10. 1 2 3 "Tulfo-Teo: No conflict of interest in P60M tourism ads on brother's show on PTV-4". CNN Philippines. April 30, 2018. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Wanda Teo resigns as Tourism chief". May 8, 2018.
  12. ↑ "'Pagsasauli ng mga Tulfo sa P60 milyon, di sapat'; Wanda Teo, pinagbibitiw". May 7, 2018.
  13. ↑ "Teo has 'no idea' her brothers Ben and Erwin Tulfo host 'Kilos Pronto'". May 8, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Tulfo brothers to return P60M to government". Rappler. May 7, 2018.
  15. ↑ Tan, Lara; De Guzman, Chad (May 8, 2018). "Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo resigns 'out of delicadeza'". CNN Philippines. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  16. ↑ "AD PLACEMENT | 60 Million, hindi pa rin naibabalik ng Tulfo brothers - Sec. Berna Puyat". RMN Networks. June 17, 2018.
  17. ↑ "Trillanes to press plunder charges vs Teo, Tulfo brothers". August 16, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Erwin Tulfo sorry for 'excessive rants' vs. DSWD chief Bautista, but won't retract criticisms". CNN Philippines.
  19. ↑ "Soldiers seethe online after Erwin Tulfo threatens to slap ex-Army chief". Rappler.
  20. ↑ Frances Mangosing (May 31, 2019). "PMA alumni condemn Tulfo's 'degrading remarks' vs DSWD's Bautista". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
  21. ↑ "Tulfo apologizes for 'excessive' berating of DSWD's Bautista". Inquirer.net. May 31, 2019.
  22. ↑ Mercado, Neil Arwin (May 30, 2022). "Erwin Tulfo to serve as DSWD secretary; 4 other Marcos Cabinet members named". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  23. 1 2 "US citizenship, libel raised vs Erwin Tulfo a non-issue—Pimentel". Manila Bulletin. November 24, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  24. ↑ Torregoza, Hannah (December 12, 2022). "Zubiri: CA to bypass DSWD chief Erwin Tulfo again". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  25. ↑ "Siomai King goes online to meet rising demand for food delivery". INQUIRER.net. May 13, 2020. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
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