Erwin Tulfo

❧

Wikipedia

Erwin Tulfo
Official Senate portrait, 2025
Senator of the Philippines
Incumbent
Assumed office
June 30, 2025
Senate positions
Chair of the Senate Committee on Games and Amusement
Incumbent
Assumed office
July 28, 2025
Preceded byLito Lapid
Chair of the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development
Incumbent
Assumed office
July 29, 2025
Preceded byImee Marcos
Member of the House of Representatives for ACT-CIS
In office
May 30, 2023 – June 30, 2025
Chair of the House Committee on Games and Amusements
In office
August 9, 2023 – June 30, 2025
Preceded byJoseph Bernos
Succeeded byAntonio Ferrer
Secretary of Social Welfare and Development
Ad interim
In office
June 30, 2022 – December 27, 2022
PresidentBongbong Marcos
Preceded byRolando Joselito Bautista
Succeeded byEdu Punay (OIC)
Acting Chairperson of Senate Blue Ribbon Committee
Acting
In office
October 8, 2025 – November 11, 2025
Preceded byPanfilo Lacson
Succeeded byPanfilo Lacson
Personal details
BornErwin Teshiba Tulfo
(1964-08-10) August 10, 1964 (age 61)[1]
Tacloban, Leyte, Philippines
Citizenship
  • Philippines
Political partyLakas (2024–present)
Other political
affiliations		ACT-CIS (party-list; 2023–2025)
Spouses
  • Rizalina Aquino[2]
  • Karen Padilla-Tulfo
Relations
Children10
Parent(s)Ramon S. Tulfo Sr.
Caridad Teshiba
ResidenceQuezon City
Alma materUniversity of the East (BSBA)
Occupation
  • Broadcaster
  • TV and radio host
  • columnist

Erwin Teshiba Tulfo (Tagalog: [ˈʔɛɾwin ˈtulfo]; born August 10, 1964) is a Filipino politician, news anchor, and columnist who has served as a senator of the Philippines since 2025. He previously served as the representative for ACT-CIS Partylist and as a deputy majority leader of the Philippine House of Representatives from 2023 to 2025.[3][4] 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.

After his father died in 1985, Tulfo moved to the United States with a tourist visa and spent a decade as an undocumented worker, which he claimed was done to support his family.[5] A member of the Tulfo family of broadcasters, he was first hired as a news reporter at ABS-CBN upon returning to the Philippines in the 1990s, anchoring various news programs at the network such as TV Patrol and Pulso and hosting the shows Magandang Gabi... Bayan, Magandang Umaga, Bayan and Private I.[6]

He co-hosted PRTV Prime Media's primetime newscast Arangkada Balita in 2025, alongside Niña Corpuz. He also hosted PTV's primetime news program Ulat Bayan from 2020 to 2022,[7] as well as one of its AM radio counterparts: Radyo Pilipinas Uno's Erwin Tulfo: Live! or Tutok: Erwin Tulfo (2017–2022).[8] On TV5, Tulfo hosted the programs Tutok Tulfo (2010–2012) and T3: Alliance (2011–2016), and anchored the news program Aksyon from 2010 to 2017. He has also previously worked for Radio Philippines Network (RPN) and Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (IBC).

In 2000, Tulfo was convicted of four counts of libel in Pasay for a series of articles he wrote for the tabloid Remate in 1999 that accused a Bureau of Customs lawyer as an "extortionist... and a smuggler".[9][10] In 2011, Tulfo was fined ₱10,000 (equivalent to ₱13,912 in 2021) by the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) for irresponsible coverage of the August 2010 Manila hostage crisis as host of RMN's Radyo Mo Nationwide, with him admitting to violating police instructions by interviewing the hostage taker while negotiations were ongoing.[11]

Early life

Erwin Teshiba Tulfo was born in Tacloban on August 10, 1964,[12] He has eight siblings, among whom include Tuchi, Bong, Joseph, Edelle, Ramon, Ben, and Raffy Tulfo, who are all his fellow journalists.[13] His brother, Raffy, is an incumbent senator, while his sister, Wanda Corazon Teo, was a tourism secretary during the Duterte administration.[14]

During his unsuccessful 2022 congressional confirmation hearings for secretary of social welfare and development, Tulfo was alleged by representatives Oscar Malapitan (Caloocan–1st) and Rodante Marcoleta (SAGIP) to have served in the United States Army from 1988 to 1992 and assigned on a tour in Europe from 1992 to 1996.[15] 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.[16]

Career

Secretary of Social Welfare and Development (2022)

Tulfo in 2022

In 2022, Tulfo was appointed secretary of social welfare and development by then-President-elect Bongbong Marcos in May 2022.[17] However, on December 27, 2022, his appointment was blocked and bypassed by the Commission on Appointments due to citizenship issues.

House of Representatives (2023–2025)

Official portrait, 2023

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.[18] 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 2023.[19] 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.[20][21]

Senate of the Philippines (2025–present)

Tulfo being proclaimed as a senator-elect on May 17, 2025

On September 26, 2024, Tulfo was officially introduced as part of Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial slate for the 2025 Senate election.[22] Tulfo later filed his candidacy to run for senator on October 6, 2024.[12] He was elected and placed fourth.[23]

During the 20th Congress of the Philippines, Tulfo was named chairperson of the Senate committees on Games and Amusement and Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development, as well as the vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.[24] He later became the acting chairperson of the Blue Ribbon Committee between the resignation of Panfilo Lacson as its chairperson on October 5, 2025, and Lacson's reinstatement on November 11, 2025.[25]

Controversies

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".[26][27]

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.[28][29][30]

Senate inquiry on the ₱60-million corruption scandal of Wanda Tulfo Teo and her brothers Ben Tulfo and Erwin Tulfo.

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.[31] 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.[31][32][33] She stressed that she did not know that her brothers were running the television show[34] and that it was a government-to-government contract between the tourism department and People's Television Network.[31] The Tulfo brothers afterwards promised that they will return the ₱60 million.[35][36] However, on June 17, 2018, it was revealed that they have not yet returned the money they received from the DOT.[37] In August 2018, then-Senator Antonio Trillanes IV declared that he will press plunder charges against the Tulfo siblings.[38]

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.[39] A few days later, thousands signed a petition demanding Tulfo to apologize.[40] The Philippine Military Academy Alumni Association condemned Tulfo's remarks against the former Philippine Army chief.[41] Tulfo has apologized to Bautista for his remarks.[42]

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.[17][43] 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,[43] and his conviction on four counts of libel.[44]

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.[45]

Other ventures

Tulfo is also a franchisee and endorser of Siomai King, a food cart business selling Philippine siomai.[46]

Personal life

Tulfo met newscaster Karen Padilla at ABS-CBN in the 1990s, whom he later married.[47] They have two daughters: Erika (born January 2004) and Erin.[48]

In 2022, Tulfo admitted to having a total of ten children with four women.[49] In October 2024, Tulfo listed Rizalina Aquino as his wife in his certificate of candidacy for senator in the 2025 elections.[2]

Filmography

Television

YearTitleCharacter
1987–1992PTV Weekend ReportNews anchor
1987–1995Pangunahing Balita
1995–1996Magandang Umaga PoHost
1996–2006Alas Singko y Medya/Magandang Umaga Bayan/Magandang Umaga, Pilipinas
1996–2004ABS-CBN Weekend NewsNews anchor
1995–1999Hoy Gising!Himself
1999–2000Mission–XHost
2000–2002Pangako Sa 'YoHimself (Cameo)
2001–2005Magandang Gabi, BayanHost
2003–2005Private I.[50]Host
2004–2005TV Patrol Sabado/Linggo (now TV Patrol Weekend)News anchor
2004–2005ABS-CBN InsiderNews anchor
2005–2006Isumbong Mo: Tulfo BrothersHimself
2006–2007RPN NewsWatch Aksyon BalitaNews anchor
2007–2009BitagCo-host
2010–2017AksyonNews anchor
2010–2012Tutok TulfoHost
2010–2011Sapul sa SingkoHost/Anchor
2011–2016T3: AllianceHost
2013–2014Good Morning ClubHost/Anchor
2014–2016Yaman ng BayanHost
2017–2018Kilos ProntoCo-host
PTV NewsNews anchor
2020–2022Ulat BayanNews anchor
2025Arangkada BalitaNews anchor

Radio

YearTitle
2010–2018; 2023–2025Punto Asintado with Aljo Bendijo
2018–2022Tutok Erwin Tulfo
2006–2010RMN News Nationwide
2023Erwin Tulfo On-Air with Niña Corpuz

Awards

PMPC Star Awards for Television
  • Best Male Newscaster (2014,[51] 2015[52] and 2016)
Inding-Indie Short Film Festival
  • Asian Best Broadcasters Award (2015)[53]
  • Most Trusted Media Personalities for Radio and Television Award (2016)
  • Official website
  • Media related to Erwin Tulfo at Wikimedia Commons

References

  1. ↑ "TULFO, ERWIN TESHIBA" (PDF). Commission on Elections. October 29, 2024. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Certificate of Candidacy for Senator - Erwin Teshiba Tulfo" (PDF). Commission on Election. October 29, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2025.
  3. ↑ Mangaluz, Jean (May 30, 2023). "Erwin Tulfo sworn in as ACT-CIS party-list rep". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  4. ↑ Quismoro, Ellson (August 9, 2023). "Erwin Tulfo gets named House deputy majority leader". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  5. ↑ Gulla, Vivienne (January 6, 2025). "Erwin Tulfo: Umalis po ako ng Pilipinas para mag-TNT sa Amerika". ABS-CBN News. Manila: ABS-CBN Corporation. Retrieved April 22, 2025.
  6. ↑ Salterio, Leah (October 13, 2000). "Reporting to you live is Mon Tulfo's brother and Ka Noli's 'student'". Philippine Daily Inquirer. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. A29. Retrieved April 22, 2025.
  7. ↑ Gabinete, Jojo (October 2, 2020). "Tulfo vs Tulfo: Magkapatid na Erwin at Raffy, magkatapat ang news programs". PEP.ph (in Filipino). Philippine Entertainment Portal Inc. Retrieved April 22, 2025. Nag-umpisa ang Ulat Bayan noong September 7. Ito ang hudyat ng pagbabalik sa primetime newscast ni Erwin Tulfo, ang nakababatang kapatid ni Raffy[...]
  8. ↑ ""Sa totoo lang" Interview of Mr. Erwin Tulfo with President Rodrigo Roa Duterte". Presidential Communications Office. October 13, 2017. Retrieved April 22, 2025. Location[:] PTV 4
  9. ↑ Papa, Alcuin (November 18, 2000). "Erwin Tulfo found guilty of libel". Philippine Daily Inquirer. A21: The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. Retrieved April 22, 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  10. ↑ GMANews.TV (September 17, 2008). "SC affirms libel conviction of broadcaster Erwin Tulfo". GMA News Online. Manila, Philippines: GMA Network Inc. Retrieved April 22, 2025.
  11. ↑ Aquino III, Benigno (October 11, 2010). "Aquino's statement: Recommended actions on IIRC report on Manila hostage crisis". GMA News Online. GMA Network Inc. Retrieved April 22, 2025. [Michael] Rogas interfered in the negotiations and effectively aided and supported the hostage taker by giving him a platform to air his demands. Tulfo, by his own admission, violated police instructions.
  12. 1 2 Araja, Rio N. (October 6, 2024). "Tulfo officially joins 2025 senatorial race under Lakas CMD". Manila Standard. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  13. ↑ Depasupil, William (September 1, 2024). "Tulfo family thanks those who condoled with them". The Manila Times. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  14. ↑ Jiminez, Josephus (August 14, 2019). "Who is afraid of the Tulfo brothers?". The Philippine Star. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  15. ↑ Villaruel, Jauhn Etienne; Torres, Sherrie Ann (November 22, 2022). "Panel grills DSWD chief Tulfo over US citizenship, libel conviction, 'colorful love life'". ABS-CBN News. Manila: ABS-CBN Corporation. Retrieved April 22, 2025.
  16. ↑ Ombay, Giselle (May 31, 2022). "Erwin Tulfo to close charitable center to avoid conflict with DSWD job". GMA News. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  17. 1 2 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.
  18. ↑ 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.
  19. ↑ Sevillano, Stephanie (July 20, 2023). "Comelec proclaims Tulfo as 3rd ACT-CIS party-list nominee". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  20. ↑ Cervantes, Filane Mikee (July 31, 2023). "Erwin Tulfo takes oath as new ACT-CIS representative". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  21. ↑ de Leon, Dwight (August 9, 2023). "Neophyte lawmaker Erwin Tulfo elected House deputy majority leader". Rappler. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  22. ↑ Gita-Carlos, Ruth Abbey (September 26, 2024). "PBBM bares admin's 2025 senatorial slate". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  23. ↑ Gatchalian, Ched Rick (May 17, 2025). "Halalan 2025: Comelec proclaims 12 winning senators". ABS-CBN. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  24. ↑ "20th Congress Committee Chairpersons" (PDF). Senate of the Philippines. August 4, 2025.
  25. ↑ Abarca, Charie (October 8, 2025). "Erwin Tulfo is acting chairman of Senate blue ribbon panel – Sotto". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  26. ↑ G.R. No. 161032 (September 16, 2008), "ERWIN TULFO v. PEOPLE", The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation, Inc., retrieved August 9, 2023
  27. ↑ Abillar, Adel (November 17, 2021). "[OPINION] Isumbong mo si Tulfo". Rappler. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  28. ↑ 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.
  29. ↑ Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (June 16, 2011). "KBP: Media should not be negotiators". Inquirer News. INQUIRER.net. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  30. ↑ Santiago, Katrina Stuart (August 23, 2011). "No apologies, no excuses: The Manila Hostage Massacre". GMA News Online. GMA Network. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  31. 1 2 3 "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.
  32. ↑ "Wanda Teo resigns as Tourism chief". May 8, 2018.
  33. ↑ "'Pagsasauli ng mga Tulfo sa P60 milyon, di sapat'; Wanda Teo, pinagbibitiw". May 7, 2018.
  34. ↑ "Teo has 'no idea' her brothers Ben and Erwin Tulfo host 'Kilos Pronto'". May 8, 2018.
  35. ↑ "Tulfo brothers to return P60M to government". Rappler. May 7, 2018.
  36. ↑ 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.
  37. ↑ "AD PLACEMENT | 60 Million, hindi pa rin naibabalik ng Tulfo brothers - Sec. Berna Puyat". RMN Networks. June 17, 2018.
  38. ↑ "Trillanes to press plunder charges vs Teo, Tulfo brothers". August 16, 2018.
  39. ↑ "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.
  40. ↑ "Soldiers seethe online after Erwin Tulfo threatens to slap ex-Army chief". Rappler.
  41. ↑ Frances Mangosing (May 31, 2019). "PMA alumni condemn Tulfo's 'degrading remarks' vs DSWD's Bautista". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
  42. ↑ "Tulfo apologizes for 'excessive' berating of DSWD's Bautista". Inquirer.net. May 31, 2019.
  43. 1 2 "US citizenship, libel raised vs Erwin Tulfo a non-issue—Pimentel". Manila Bulletin. November 24, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  44. ↑ Torregoza, Hannah (December 12, 2022). "Zubiri: CA to bypass DSWD chief Erwin Tulfo again". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  45. ↑ Hufana, Chloe Mari (November 4, 2024). "GMA plea vs ABS-CBN denied". BusinessWorld. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  46. ↑ "Siomai King goes online to meet rising demand for food delivery". INQUIRER.net. May 13, 2020. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  47. ↑ E, Baby (October 11, 2020). "Mga natirang artista sa ABS-CBN, gagawan ng bagong station ID". Pang-Masa (in Filipino and English). Philstar Global Corp. Retrieved April 22, 2025. Erwin used to work with ABS-CBN, where he met his wife, the former Karen Padilla.
  48. ↑ Tuazon, Nikko (July 20, 2022). "Erika Tulfo celebrates 18th birthday with Greek-themed party". PEP.ph. Philippine Entertainment Portal Inc. Retrieved April 22, 2025.
  49. ↑ Ager, Maila. "10 children from 4 women: Tulfo's 'colorful love life' raised at CA hearing". Inquirer News. INQUIRER.net. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
  50. ↑ "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...
  51. ↑ "28th PMPC Star Awards for TV And the winners are..." Philstar.com. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  52. ↑ Villano, Alexa (December 3, 2015). "FULL LIST: Winners, 2015 PMPC Star Awards for TV". RAPPLER. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  53. ↑ "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)