Broadcaster Rafael “Raffy” T. Tulfo on Saturday, Oct. 2, filed his certificate of candidacy at the Sofitel Harbor Garden Tents in Pasay City.
Despite being courted by political groups, the veteran broadcaster has opted to run as an independent candidate, saying that he is “loyal to the people.” But, he said that he is open to becoming a guest candidate of a political party that has the “same advocacies and beliefs” such as his.
In his speech after filing his COC, Tulfo has vowed to create laws that will benefit the poor, citing the reason for such was the injustices he has witnessed while working as a broadcast journalist for two decades.
“arati silang nadedehado at mabilis na nalalampaso ang kanilang mga karapatan lalo na kung mayaman at makapangyarihan ang kanilang mga nakakabangga. (They are always disadvantaged and their rights are quickly violated especially when their opponents are rich and powerful),” he said.
“Ang mga kapus-palad dapat kailangan ng mas sapat na proteksyon ng batas. At iyan po ang dahilan kung bakit nandto ako sa harapan ninyo (The poor need adequate legal protection. And that is why I am here in front of you),” he added.
Meanwhile, Tulfo said that he is confident that his many followers on various social media platforms will support his senatorial bid.
“Confident ako na ‘yun mga subscribers ko ay susuporta sa akin, at hindi lang ang mga subscribers ay susuporta sa akin . Iyan ang dahilan kung bakit ako ay independent . Nang sa ganoon wala akong pinapanigan na partido (I am confident that my subscribers will support me, and not only my subscribers will support me. That is the reason why I am an independent candidate. In order for me not to take any side of any political party),” the veteran broadcaster said.
As of Oct. 2, his YouTube Channel Raffy Tulfo in Action has 21.7 million subscribers while his Facebook page has 18 million followers.
Asked why he is still running for senator despite the fact that he was already doing public service as a broadcaster, Tulfo said that there were laws hindering him to do “appropriate actions to help the poor, sometimes lack of laws, and sometimes outdated laws need to be amended.”
Last Oct. 1, he bade farewell to his news program, Frontline Pilipinas at TV5, and said that he was feeling both happy and sad to leave the show.
In the recent survey conducted by Pulse Asia, it showed that Tulfo has topped the list of preferred senatorial candidates for the 2022 national elections. He garnered 55.2 percent backing among the respondents of the survey.