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Erwin Tulfo
Official portrait, 2023
Deputy House Majority Leader
Incumbent
Assumed office August 9, 2023
Leader	Manuel Jose Dalipe
Member of the House of Representatives for ACT-CIS
Incumbent
Assumed office May 30, 2023
Preceded by	Jeffrey Soriano
Secretary of Social Welfare and Development
Ad interim
In office June 30, 2022 – December 27, 2022
President	Bongbong Marcos
Preceded by	Rolando Joselito Bautista
Succeeded by	Edu Punay (OIC)
Personal details
Born	Erwin Teshiba Tulfo (1963-10-06) October 6, 1963 (age 61) Tacloban, Leyte, Philippines
Citizenship	Philippines
Political party	Lakas–CMD (2024–present) ACT-CIS (2023–present) (party-list)
Spouse	Karen Padilla-Tulfo
Relations	Ben Tulfo Raffy Tulfo Ramon Tulfo Jr. Wanda Tulfo Teo
Parent(s)	Ramon S. Tulfo Sr. Caridad Teshiba
Residence	Quezon City
Alma mater	University of the East (BS)
Occupation	Broadcaster TV and Radio Host Columnist

Erwin Teshiba Tulfo (Tagalog: [ˈʔɛɾwin ˈtulfo]; born October 6, 1963) 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. 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 Uno's (RP1) 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 a news anchor of Aksyon on TV5 and AksyonTV. He has also previously worked for ABS-CBN, Radio Philippines Network (RPN), and Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (IBC).

Biography

Born in Tacloban, Tulfo is the son of Colonel Ramon Silvestre Tulfo Sr. (1915–1985), who was a member of Philippine Constabulary, and Caridad Teshiba-Tulfo (c. 1927–2024), a housewife. His siblings include Tuchi, Bong, Joseph, Edelle, 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.

He served in the United States Army from 1988 to 1992 and he was assigned on a tour in Europe from 1992 to 1996. 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.

Political career

In 2022, Tulfo was appointed Secretary of Social Welfare and Development by then-President-elect Bongbong Marcos in May 2022. However, on December 27, 2022, his appointment was blocked and bypassed by the Commission on Appointments due to citizenship issues.

On May 30, 2023, Tulfo took oath as a representative of ACT-CIS Partylist, a week after a disqualification case against him was junked by the Commission on Elections. On July 20, 2023, Comelec issued a certificate of proclamation to Tulfo, naming him as the third nominee of ACT-CIS, replacing Jeffrey Soriano, who had resigned in February 2024. Tulfo took oath once again as a partylist representative on July 31, 2023, and was named as a House Deputy Majority Leader on August 9, 2023.

On September 26, 2024, Tulfo was officially named to the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial slate for the 2025 Senate election. Tulfo later filed his candidacy to run for senator on October 6, 2024.

Controversies

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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".

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.

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 hosted by Tulfo. 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. She stressed that she did not know that her brothers were running the television show and that it was a government-to-government contract between the tourism department and People's Television Network. The Tulfo brothers afterwards promised that they will return the ₱60 million. However, on June 17, 2018, it was revealed that they have not yet returned the money they received from the DOT. In August 2018, then-Senator Antonio Trillanes IV declared that he will press plunder charges against the Tulfo siblings.

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. A few days later, thousands signed a petition demanding Tulfo to apologize. The Philippine Military Academy Alumni Association condemned Tulfo's remarks against the former Philippine Army chief. Tulfo has apologized to Bautista for his remarks.

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. 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, and his conviction on four counts of libel.

In 2024, the Court of Appeals dismissed GMA Network's petition for review on the alleged 'stolen video' libel case against Tulfo, involving the 2004 Kidnapping of Angelo dela Cruz case.

Other ventures

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

Filmography

This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living people that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately. Find sources: "Erwin Tulfo" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (February 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Television

Radio

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)

External links

• Media related to Erwin Tulfo at Wikimedia Commons

References

1. "TULDO, ERWIN TESHIBA" (PDF). Commission on Elections. October 29, 2024. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
2. Mangaluz, Jean (May 30, 2023). "Erwin Tulfo sworn in as ACT-CIS party-list rep". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
3. Quismoro, Ellson (August 9, 2023). "Erwin Tulfo gets named House deputy majority leader". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
4. ^ Araja, Rio N. (October 6, 2024). "Tulfo officially joins 2025 senatorial race under Lakas CMD". Manila Standard. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
5. "Colonel Ramon Silvestre Barcarcel Tulfo, Sr". Geni.com. May 26, 2024. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
6. Depasupil, William (September 1, 2024). "Tulfo family thanks those who condoled with them". The Manila Times. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
7. Jiminez, Josephus (August 14, 2019). "Who is afraid of the Tulfo brothers?". The Philippine Star. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
8. https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/11/22/22/dswd-chief-tulfo-grilled-over-love-life-us-citizenship-libel
9. Ombay, Giselle (May 31, 2022). "Erwin Tulfo to close charitable center to avoid conflict with DSWD job". GMA News. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
10. ^ 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.
11. Pazzibugan, Dona; Aurelio, Julie (June 1, 2023). "Erwin Tulfo is fourth member of family to take oath as lawmaker". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
12. Sevillano, Stephanie (July 20, 2023). "Comelec proclaims Tulfo as 3rd ACT-CIS party-list nominee". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
13. Cervantes, Filane Mikee (July 31, 2023). "Erwin Tulfo takes oath as new ACT-CIS representative". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
14. de Leon, Dwight (August 9, 2023). "Neophyte lawmaker Erwin Tulfo elected House deputy majority leader". Rappler. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
15. Gita-Carlos, Ruth Abbey (September 26, 2024). "PBBM bares admin's 2025 senatorial slate". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
16. G.R. No. 161032 (September 16, 2008), "ERWIN TULFO v. PEOPLE", The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation, Inc., retrieved August 9, 2023
17. Abillar, Adel (November 17, 2021). "[OPINION] Isumbong mo si Tulfo". Rappler. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
18. 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.
19. Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (June 16, 2011). "KBP: Media should not be negotiators". Inquirer News. INQUIRER.net. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
20. Santiago, Katrina Stuart (August 23, 2011). "No apologies, no excuses: The Manila Hostage Massacre". GMA News Online. GMA Network. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
21. ^ "Tulfo-Teo: No conflict of interest in P60M tourism ads on brother's show on PTV-4". CNN Philippines. April 30, 2018. Archived from the original on July 4, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
22. "Wanda Teo resigns as Tourism chief". May 8, 2018.
23. "'Pagsasauli ng mga Tulfo sa P60 milyon, di sapat'; Wanda Teo, pinagbibitiw". May 7, 2018.
24. "Teo has 'no idea' her brothers Ben and Erwin Tulfo host 'Kilos Pronto'". May 8, 2018.
25. "Tulfo brothers to return P60M to government". Rappler. May 7, 2018.
26. Tan, Lara; De Guzman, Chad (May 8, 2018). "Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo resigns 'out of delicadeza'". CNN Philippines. Archived from the original on May 9, 2018. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
27. "AD PLACEMENT | 60 Million, hindi pa rin naibabalik ng Tulfo brothers - Sec. Berna Puyat". RMN Networks. June 17, 2018.
28. "Trillanes to press plunder charges vs Teo, Tulfo brothers". August 16, 2018.
29. "Erwin Tulfo sorry for 'excessive rants' vs. DSWD chief Bautista, but won't retract criticisms". CNN Philippines. Archived from the original on June 24, 2019. Retrieved June 24, 2019.
30. "Soldiers seethe online after Erwin Tulfo threatens to slap ex-Army chief". Rappler.
31. Frances Mangosing (May 31, 2019). "PMA alumni condemn Tulfo's 'degrading remarks' vs DSWD's Bautista". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
32. "Tulfo apologizes for 'excessive' berating of DSWD's Bautista". Inquirer.net. May 31, 2019.
33. ^ "US citizenship, libel raised vs Erwin Tulfo a non-issue—Pimentel". Manila Bulletin. November 24, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
34. Torregoza, Hannah (December 12, 2022). "Zubiri: CA to bypass DSWD chief Erwin Tulfo again". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
35. Hufana, Chloe Mari (November 4, 2024). "GMA plea vs ABS-CBN denied". BusinessWorld. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
36. "Siomai King goes online to meet rising demand for food delivery". INQUIRER.net. May 13, 2020. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
37. "Makabuluhan at de-kalibreng pamamahayag. 11:30 gabi-gabi". Philippine Daily Inquirer (in Filipino and English). The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. August 24, 2003. p. C7. Retrieved April 24, 2024. Masigasig na pag-iimbestiga sa tunay na pangyayari sa likod ng mga istorya kasama si ERWIN TULFO sa pag-arangkada ng...
38. "28th PMPC Star Awards for TV And the winners are..." Philstar.com. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
39. Villano, Alexa (December 3, 2015). "FULL LIST: Winners, 2015 PMPC Star Awards for TV". RAPPLER. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
40. "The Tulfo brothers are strict and... - Inding-Indie FILM Festival | Facebook | Ghostarchive". Facebook. Archived from the original on January 19, 2024. Retrieved January 19, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)

• 1963 births
• Living people
• ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs people
• ABS-CBN people
• Bongbong Marcos administration cabinet members
• Filipino people of Japanese descent
• Filipino politicians of Japanese descent
• Filipino radio journalists
• Filipino television news anchors
• Former United States citizens
• RPN News and Public Affairs people
• IBC News and Public Affairs people
• Lakas–CMD politicians
• News5 people
• People from Metro Manila
• Radio Philippines Network personalities
• People's Television Network people
• Secretaries of social welfare and development of the Philippines
• Tulfo family
• Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation personalities
• TV5 Network people
• United States Army soldiers
• University of the East alumni
• People from Tacloban