ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo has aired a very serious reservation about the Chinese "students" who are flocking to the Philippines: They look too old to be students.

Tulfo, the House deputy majority leader for communications, said he witnessed the presence of Chinese students during his recent visit to Tuguegarao a few weeks ago.

“Nagulat ako kasi karamihan sa mga sinasabi nilang mga estudyante ay hindi naman mga mukang estudyante. Karamihan sa kanila mga itsurang matanda na. Ito ang nakakabahala, baka mamaya sinasakop na nila ang ating bansa,” he said in a recent statement.

(I was surprised because most of these so-called students don't even look like students. Most of them look old. This is worrisome because they could be invading our country already.)

The broadcast journalist-turned-congressman made these sentiments known even as he urged the House of Representatives to look into reports that Chinese students were paying P1.2 million each just to enroll in the universities in the country, particularly in Cagayan province.

Tullfo was reacting to the revelation during the inquiry of the Committee on Justice chaired by Negros Occidental, 4th district Rep. Juliet Marie Ferrer, “into the surge of alleged Chinese students enrolling in the various higher education institutions in Cagayan province, particularly in the city of Tuguegarao, with the end view of ensuring national security amidst the prevailing situation in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).”

Cagayan 3rd district Rep. Joseph Lara, who sponsored the congressional inquiry, revealed that St. Paul University in Tuguegarao admitted that each Chinese student is paying P1.2 million just to enroll in the said school.

“It was not denied by the representative of St. Paul University, PJ Lappay, that the current fee paid by a Chinese student in St. Paul is P1,200,000.00,” said Lara during his sponsorship speech.

Tulfo was shocked by the revelation as he raised concerns over our national security.

“The recent revelation that a Chinese student was paying P1.2 million in school fees in the Philippines raises significant national security concerns. This incident underscores the need for rigorous scrutiny of financial transactions within our educational institutions, especially those involving foreign nationals,” he said.