By Celeste Tamayo
MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has dismissed the disqualification case filed against senatorial candidates Ben and Erwin Tulfo, along with other members of their family.
Atty. Virgilio Garcia had filed the disqualification case against the Tulfo family members: senatorial candidates Ben and Erwin Tulfo, party-list nominees Jocelyn Pua-Tulfo (ACT-CIS) and Wanda Tulfo-Teo (Turismo), and re-electionist Rep. Ralph Tulfo of Quezon City’s Second District, accusing them of being a political dynasty.
“After a judicious review of the Petition, the Commission (First Division) finds that the Petitioner failed to comply with the required formalities. In view of this, the Commission (First Division) hereby resolves to dismiss the instant Petition,” the Comelec First Division ruled.
In a statement, Rep. Erwin Tulfo welcomed the “just” and “fair” decision.
“Ang pagkakadismis ng kaso dahil sa hindi pagsunod ng petitioner sa mga kinakailangang rekisito ng Comelec ay patunay ng integridad ng ating halalan at ng kahalagahan ng pagsunod sa tamang proseso,” he said.
“Buong tiwala akong naninindigan sa kalayaan at pagiging patas ng COMELEC. Ang desisyong ito ay nagpapatunay sa matibay na paninindigan ng Komisyon sa katarungan at sa pagpapanatili ng kredibilidad ng ating demokratikong institusyon.”
ia/mnm
By Liza Soriano
MANILA — Senator Raffy Tulfo is calling for the immediate deportation of all former employees of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).
During a hearing on Thursday by the Committee on Games and Amusement, Tulfo inquired about the status of POGO operations following the President’s deadline of December 31, 2024. He asked the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) for an update.
“PAGCOR, what is your plan regarding this, and how do you intend to send home former POGO workers? They have no place in our society,” Tulfo said.
“Their jobs are over, and if they remain, these workers could become involved in various crimes,” he added.
According to PAGCOR, 42 internet gaming licensees (IGLs), seven content providers, and 11 support providers have already shut down their operations after the deadline.
As of August 2024, there were a total of 58,181 Filipino POGO employees and 30,144 foreign workers.
ia/mnm
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Barely 13 months before the midterm elections, the popular Tulfo brothers — ACT CIS party-list Representative Erwin and his tough-talking sibling radio personality Ben — and former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte are among the top senatorial candidates in the 2025 elections.
This was revealed in the first quarter Tugon ng Masa survey by OCTA Research from March 11 to 14, 2024, which had 1,200 respondents with a national margin of error of plus or minus three percent.
Based on the latest survey, ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Tulfo who’s also the House of Representatives’ deputy majority leader, is ahead of the pack with 58.4 percent preference, followed by former Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III at 51.7 percent.
Re-electionist Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, broadcaster Ben Tulfo, Duterte and former senator Panfilo Lacson were also in the top six.
Meanwhile, the so-called “Magic 12” are Sen. Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa, former senator Manny Pacquiao, Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Sen. Imee Marcos and Sen. Pia Cayetano.
Former Manila mayor and defeated 2022 presidential candidate Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso also managed to squeeze into the “Magic 12.”
Reelectionist Senators Francis Tolentino, Lito Lapid, popular YouTube personality Dr. Willie Ong, and Interior Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. are also statistically included in the potential top 12 senatorial bets.
(el Amigo/MNM)
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — In an unprecedented move, three Tulfo lawmakers have jointly filed a bill seeking to establish a College of Medicine at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) in its Quezon City campus to address the shortage of medical doctors.
Quezon City Rep. Ralph Wendel Tulfo, and ACT-CIS party-list Representatives Jocelyn Tulfo and Erwin Tulfo proposed House Bill 9605 to help address the alarming lack of doctors in the country, especially in the National Capital Region (NCR).
“This bill seeks to lay the foundation for a comprehensive medical education program that encompasses cutting-edge medical training, research opportunities, and community engagement initiatives,” the authors said in the explanatory note of HB 9605.
They said the proposed College of Medicine in PUP-QC will also be tasked to provide scholarships and other affirmative action programs to assist financially challenged but deserving students who qualify for admission to the College without prejudice to scholarships, grants, and other financial assistance programs offered and sponsored by national and local government and private organizations.
“The establishment of a College of Medicine at the PUP-QC branch will serve as a transformative step towards producing a skilled and diverse workforce of medical practitioners who are not only academically competent but also deeply committed to serving the health needs of our communities,” the Tulfo legislators underscored.
Considering the willingness of the Quezon City government to support the establishment of a College of Medicine in PUP-QC, HB 9605 provides that the College shall enter an agreement with the Quezon City General Hospital to serve as its base hospital for the Doctor of Medicine Program.
(IAmigo/MNM)
By Liza Soriano
MANILA — Senator Raffy Tulfo on Thursday made a commitment that he would provide assistance to the affected Filipinos in the Israel-Hamas war.
Tulfo met with officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs along with some lawmakers at the DFA Central Office to discuss the current situation of Filipinos in Israel.
Among those who attended the meeting were DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo, Usec. Eduardo de Vega of Migrant Workers Affairs, Usec. Maria Theresa Lazaro of Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs, Asec. Mardomel Melicor of the Middle East and African Affairs, Pampanga Second District Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, OFW Partylist Marissa Rep. “Del Mar” Magsino, KABAYAN Partylist Rep. Ron Salo and ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro.
Ambassador to Israel Pedro Laylo Jr., Ambassador to Lebanon Raymond Balatbat, Ambassador to Jordan Wilfredo Santos, Ambassador to Egypt Ezzedin Tago, and Charge d’affaires to Syria John Reyes also joined the meeting virtually.
“Patuloy pa rin ang close monitoring sa mga Filipino community sa mga lugar na apektado ng giyera kabilang na ang Israel, Gaza at West bank pati ang mga kalapit na bansa. May contingency plan na din ang gobyerno sakaling mas lumala ang sitwasyon sa rehiyon,” Tulfo said.
There were some OFWs who had already expressed their interest in returning to the Philippines due to the war in the said country.
Among these were the 16 OFWs, along with one infant, who arrived on October 18 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3. They were welcomed by Tulfo at the airport.
“Gagawin ang lahat ng gobyerno para masigurong ligtas at maayos na makakabalik ang mga OFW dito sa Pilipinas. May mga ayuda ring ibibigay para sa mga nakabalik na sa bansa at scholarship mula sa TESDA para sa kanilang mga anak,” he said
“Puspusan din na nagtratrabaho ang Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) at Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) para sa repatriation ng mga Pinoy sa Israel,” he added.
(ai/mnm)