ACT-CIS partylist Representative Erwin Tulfo virtually lit up the entire venue when he guested at the “MACHRA Balitaan” monthly forum of the Manila City Hall Reporters’ Association (MACHRA) held at the Century Seafood Restaurant recently.
Not only was he apparently at home in the company of colleagues in the media. The media members present, especially those with whom he worked before, were but too happy to see and be with him once again, along with his chief of staff Jerico Javier, who is also a former journalist.
His accomplishments as a public servant during his stint as DSWD Secretay, albeit short, are a source of pride among those in the media industry.
During his guesting, he gamely answered all questions, even the toughest ones. It was such a walk in the park for him. He did not only give satisfactory answers, he also showed that he is not afraid to take a stand even on the toughest issues.
He registered his opposition to what he called “intrusion” and “insult” to the Philippine justice system’ by the International Criminal Court (ICC) which insists on probing the drug war of the Duterte administration. He questioned its jurisdiction since the country has already withdrawn its membership from the international body.
Rep. Tulfo also said he favors the death penalty and the abolition of the good conduct time allowance (GCTA) for cases involving heinous crimes. He would rather see such criminals getting out of incarceration in caskets already, and he has a good reason for this. He cited an example where a 20-year-old sentenced to life imprisonment which runs for a mere 40 years say, for murder. If this criminal gets out of prison when he is 60, he will still be capable of getting back at the family of his victim who put him in jail.
The neophyte congressman also vowed to push for a Magna Carta for media workers, knowing the problems that confront the members of the so-called Fourth Estate, such as non-payment of salaries and mandated benefits like 13th-month pay, below minimum wage salaries, etcetera, etcetera.
Too, Tulfo is appealing to the PNP hierarchy to relax the requirements for media members seeking to arm themselves, as he hit the existence of the LTOPF or license to own and possess a firearm, given the most recent ambush of a tabloid reporter in broad daylight.
He also is seeking that the distribution of benefits from the DSWD should not be left to the discretion of local governments, saying it can be politicized, which he had witnessed during his stint at the agency.
Lamentably, disaster victims came to him – he was highly visible during the calamities that struck during his stint – seeking help since their mayor or barangay chairman did not include their names as beneficiaries because they did not support his candidacy.
Apart from the Magna Carta for media, Tulfo said his priority is to file a measure that would create employment opportunities for senior citizens and persons with disability (PWDs) and to remove ‘with pleasing personality’ as a requirement for one to get a job, saying it tends to discriminate against the elderly and the PWDs.
Despite his excellent performance at the DSWD and the countless people he had helped through his work even in his private capacity, Tulfo, just like all other public figures, also has his share of bashers. It’s a case of ‘you cannot please everybody.’
To them, he has a unique appeal. That is, to give him six months to prove his worth. If he has not accomplished anything by that time, he said that bashers may do their thing.
By the way, congratulations to him after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) finally proclaimed him as the third nominee of the ACT CIS partylist.
He is now reaping all the benefits of being a member of the media. He knows firsthand what this country needs from the eyes of the media which serves as a government watchdog. We know that he will do everything within his means so as not to disappoint the public.
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Joke (fromRichard Mallari of Valenzuela City)
Employee: Boss, pwede ba ako nalang ang papalit dun sa puwesto ng manager natin na kamamatay lang?
Boss: Okay lang sa akin na ikaw ang pumalit sa kanya
Employee:Talaga boss, okay lang?
Boss: Sa akin okay lang, ewan ko lang kung papayag ang punerarya!
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