Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Senator-Elect Erwin Tulfo takes his oath before Barangay Captain Johnny dela Cruz in Quiapo, Manila on May 23, 2025. RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News

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RG Cruz

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1747978555244GrmHv1dXQAAWDYt.jpeg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Senator-Elect Erwin Tulfo takes his oath before Barangay Captain Johnny dela Cruz in Quiapo, Manila on May 23, 2025. RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News</div>MANILA — Senator-Elect Erwin Tulfo took his oath of office on Friday before Barangay Captain Johnny dela Cruz of Barangay 307 in Quiapo, Manila, a move he said is symbolic of bringing the government closer to the people.Tulfo&#x27;s term as senator officially starts on June 30.&quot;Mas pinili ko ang dito sa barangay because sa barangay, rekta sila yung first line na nakikita ng mga tao. Bago pumunta yung tao sa mayor o sa pinakamataas na opisyal, dumadaan muna sa barangay. Barangay ang unang nagre-resolba ng problema,&quot; he said.(I chose to take my oath at the barangay because they are the first line of government. Before people go to the mayor or a higher official, they go through the barangay first. The barangay tries to resolve their problems.)He said having dela Cruz, whom he said is a good friend and a fellow devotee of Jesus Nazareno, administer the oath shows his desire to be quick to hear people&#x27;s problems.<div>BILLS HE PLANS TO FILE</div>Tulfo said he and his staff are already preparing for the Senate, where, he said, he has many bills lined up for filing.Among his priorities, he said, is a review of the rice tariffication law, which was supposed to bring rice prices down but which farmers&#x27; groups said have only driven their incomes lower. <div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/27/wrap-p20-kg-rice-a-promise-kept-or-a-come-on-for-midterm-votes-1931">P20/kg rice, a promise kept or a come-on for midterm votes? </a></div>Tulfo also wants to work on passage of the National Land Use bill, a priority bill that has been pending in Congress for decades.&quot;Ito ang naging problema. Lumiliit nang lumiliit ang ating farmland. Nagiging commercial yung mga farmland. So, kailangan natin pigilan yun,&quot; he said. (This is the problem: Our farmlands are shrinking because they are converted to commercial use. We have to stop that)<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/11/17/22/tulfo-villar-clash-over-farm-to-subdivision-issue-rice-tariffication">Tulfo vs Villar: Senators clash over &#x27;farm to subdivision&#x27; scheme, rice tariffication law </a></div>He said he also wants to push legislation on Overseas Filipino Workers&#x27; welfare, healthcare and on the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.&quot;Kahit anong sakit mo, 30 percent ang babayaran ng PhilHealth. At puwede mong gamitin yung card pang down payment&quot;(For whatever illness, PhilHealth should shoulder 30 percent. And you should be able to use your PhilHealth card as down payment) He said he has also promised to work on a bill that will standardize the pay of barangay officials and staff.<div>POLITICAL DYNASTIES</div>Tulfo, who has relatives in both houses of Congress, said he is ready to support passage of a bill to limit political dynasties in government.&quot;I&#x27;m willing. I&#x27;ll sign,&quot; he said of a bill that Senator-Elect Panfilo Lacson plans to file.He said he ran for senator to help people feel the &quot;Tatak Tulfo&quot; brand of public service but that he will step down if a law against political dynasties is passed.&quot;I&#x27;ll even ask my sister-in-law and then my nephew. Baba na tayo, may batas na eh. Kailangan sundin natin lahat.&quot;(I&#x27;ll even ask my sister-in-law and then my nephew. &#x27;Let&#x27;s step down. There&#x27;s a law and we need to follow it)The law to operationalize a constitutional ban on political dynasties has been pending for nearly 40 years.In the meantime, political dynasties have expanded their presence to party-list elections originally meant to give marginalized sectors representation in Congress.

Senator-Elect Erwin Tulfo said having Barangay Captain Johnny dela Cruz administer the oath shows his desire to be quick to hear people's problems.

Senator-Elect Erwin Tulfo said having Barangay Captain Johnny dela Cruz administer the oath shows his desire to be quick to hear people's problems.

Erwin Tulfo takes oath of office before Manila barangay captain

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Erwin Tulfo takes oath of office before Manila barangay captain

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 23, 2025 01:43 PM PHT

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Updated May 23, 2025 01:57 PM PHT

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