ACT-CIS Partylist Rep. Erwin Tulfo arrives to file his Certificate of Candidacy for senator on the 6th day of filing for the 2025 midterm elections in Manila on October 6, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

MANILA (UPDATED) — ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo on Sunday filed his certificate of candidacy for senator, making him the second Tulfo brother joining the Senate race in 2025. 

Another brother, Raffy, is a sitting senator, raising the prospect of three Tulfos — popular as tough-talking broadcasters — at the Senate.

Erwin, a former social welfare department chief, will be running under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas, composed of the country's major political parties. 

His brother Ben, who filed his COC on Saturday, will be running as an independent candidate. 

After serving as DSWD secretary, Erwin took a seat in the House of Representatives as a representative of ACT-CIS alongside Rep. Jocelyn Tulfo, Sen. Tulfo's wife. 

RESIGNATION IN 3 YEARS

Tulfo said he only needs 3 years in the Senate to prove that he can perform well as a lawmaker, adding that he would step down from the chamber should he accomplish nothing in the first half of the term.

"All I'm asking is just give me 3 years until 2028… If I will not perform in 3 years, from 2025 kung sa awa ng Diyos palarin hanggang 2028, wala po tayo nagawa then I'll step down," he told reporters.

"Hindi ko na aantayin hanggang 6 years, hanggang 2031. Hindi ko na hihingin yun at hindi na ako hihingi ng reelection. Ibahin niyo ho ako," he said.

Tulfo cites his short stint as head of the DSWD as proof that he could deliver and perform well as senator in a short span of time.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier named Tulfo as his DSWD chief, but the Commission on Appointments bypassed his appointment over his American citizenship and several libel cases filed against the broadcaster.

"Sitahin niyo ho ako sa social media, singilin niyo ho ako by 2028 pag wala tayong nagawa sa Senado," Tulfo said.

"Ayoko naman pong maging palamuti diyan sa Senado, na maging parang flower vase dahil nakakahiya po sa amin," he said.

READ: Tulfos, ex-Pres. Duterte in senatorial winning circle: Pulse Asia poll

READ: Tulfo brothers Ben, Erwin eye Senate seat

3 TULFO SIBLINGS

If brothers Erwin and Ben both win a Senate seat, there will be 3 Tulfo siblings in the Senate as their elder kin Raffy is already an incumbent senator.

The former DSWD chief underscored that the Philippines has yet to pass a law that would ban political dynasties, but noted that he would support the passage of such legislation.

"Kung nandiyan na yan, kung makakatulong ito sa sambayanan, why not?" Tulfo said.

 "If it's for the benefit of the whole nation para mapagbigyan ang lahat, why not 'di ba?" he said.

"Hindi lang naman Tulfo. Marami pang ibang magagaling na maaaring magsilbi and I agree with that," he said.

Tulfo said he and his brothers talked about how the public may perceive them as a dynasty.

"Napagusapan namin na yung mga kababayan natin magsasabi about dynasty but the answer is like habang wala pang batas why don't we just push it then let's leave it to the voting public," he said.

"Yan din po sabi ng Kuya ko, ni Raffy. At sinabihan niya rin si Ben na, 'Kapag nakalusot kayo, wag naman ipahiya yung pangalan natin. Kailangan magtrabaho, wag tayo tumulad sa iba diyan so we just keep on working,'" he said.

"Keep our nose clean, iwasan mga anumalya, mga intriga." -- With a report from Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN News