ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo (Facebook)

A teary-eyed ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo has admitted to working in the past as an undocumented alien in the United States (US), even as he insisted to being a true-blue Filipino. 

In his radio program Punto Asintado Reload, Tulfo took the opportunity Monday, Jan. 6 to responds to rumors regarding his alleged American citizenship.

"At ikaw ay Pilipino? (And you are a Filipino?)" broadcaster Aljo Bendijo asked Tulfo, to which the latter replied: "Exactly."

Tulfo, a senatorial aspirant, shared during the program he was among the classic cases of undocumented overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who went to the US in search of greener pastures but was "TNT (tago nang tago)" or constantly avoided deportation.

He said he did this for around 10 years, starting in 1985.  He said he switched from one menial job to the next, including being a dishwasher, supermarket staff, janitor, bagger, and security personnel.

The House deputy majority leader for communication said that he was even able to bring his children stateside, and had them study there.

What Tulfo couldn't accept was the remarks of certain vloggers that he had lost his integrity because of his time in the US.

"Kung ang isang dating TNT, kung ang isang dating may trabaho na walang papel sa abroad, ay pag umuwi na po dito, wala na pong integridad? HIndi na po pwedeng magsilbi sa bayan? Bawal na ba yun?" Tulfo said.

(How can a former TNT, a former undocumented alien worker lose his integrity once he returns home? Can he no longer serve the nation? Does it prohibit that?)

"Hindi po ako nag-iscam ng mga Pilipino, Amerikano. Hindi po ako nagnakaw doon, hindi po ako nagnakaw sa gobyerno ng Amerika. Ang ginawa ko lang po magtrabaho...wala pong akong iniscam na Pilipino," he underscored. 

(I didn't scam Filipinos or Americans. I didn't steal there, I didn't steal from the American government. The only thing I did was work...I didn't scam any Filipino.)

While Tulfo acknowledged that going TNT was against the law, he said he only did so for the purpose of giving his family a better future.

"And I am proud to say na, yes, nag-TNT po ako, gumawa po ako ng diskarte para mabuhay ko po yung mga anak ko. Eh, hindi lang po ako.There are millions of Filipinos in the US [that], they started like that," said the popular congressman, his eyes welling up.

(And I am proud to say that, yes, I went TNT, I did what I needed to do to provide for my children. I'm not the only one to do that.) 

"Kaya I understand po yung mga OFW yan documented or not documented, saludo po ako. Dahil sila lang po ang bumubuhay sa ekonomiya natin (That's why I understand the OFWs, whether they are documented or undocumented). They are the true heroes," Tulfo said.

It can be recalled that Tulfo failed to secure the Commission on Appointments' (CA) nod for the position of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) secretary in 2023 due to citizenship issues.