Letters from Davao: ‘Much Ado about Tulfo’ by Jun Ledesma
THE TULFOS are famous names in mass media. They are listened to, viewed and read. So what’s wrong and controversial about that? They used to be with TV 5 but management of this station had closed a number of their stations and must have kept only one to prop the owner’s pride.
I do not know the Tulfo brothers, even as their roots are from Davao (Oriental), but aside from their iconic image of bravery and resoluteness they have good business sense and together these siblings are a bond of courage. Together they carved a unique niche that separates them from people involved in the media industry. But I personally know Wanda, the only sister of the brothers Tulfo, who owns Philippine Airlines top agency in Mindanao.
The Tulfos produce their own programs and the content indicates that they spent a lot of money gathering those exclusive materials which require some degree of grit to film. Ben, for example, is like part of dangerous police operations while Mon and Erwin mince no words in criticising corrupt officials no matter whether they are in the apogee of power or demented criminal. They deliver their stinging message direct to the solar plexus.
When they transferred to PTV 4 and Radyo ng Bayan, as block-timers the decision to accommodate them must have been quick and easy. Government stations and programs are drab they are always in the tail-end of the surveys. Besides, let’s face it. They are patently against crime of whatever category, and that jibes well with the program of President Duterte.
The Machiavellian forces and attack dogs of the moribund opposition thought that having Tulfo brothers in the government broadcast stations and their production paid by the government is irregular. That PCOO Sec. Martin Andanar should be investigated for allowing the Tulfo brothers to air their program on PTV4.
That is another attempt at creating intrigue in the Presidential Communications Operations Office. Let us face the facts. In no other time has the viewership and listenership of government television and radio network increased dramatically as now. For PTV 4 to land No. 4 is a glorious mystery! That is a feat given the 18 analog TV stations in Metro Manila not to include the other digital news channels. This can only be attributed to the reprogramming initiated by Secretary Andanar and you cannot remove from the equation the viewership brought by the programs produced by the Tulfo brothers. By the way, PTV 4 is breaking through the analogue and digital divide. In Davao, the signal is now HD and gives viewers instant alert if any alarming weather condition hits anywhere in the country. Secretary Andanar is coy in claiming it’s his achievement but I might as well divulge here that upgrades in equipment and expansion of coverage of government TV and radio stations which he initiated are presently in the works.
I have been a program director of a TV and radio station in Davao years back. Media buyers (advertising companies) would always refer to surveys when they consider placing ads for their clients. If the station rates, the buyers would look at which program has the highest percentage of viewer. Now, the next question to ask is: What’s wrong with Tourism Department or other government agencies placing ads on Tulfo produced programs? Who cares about Secretary Wanda? Or, why should Wanda worry if DOT’s promotions get viewership in Tulfo’s programs? Nit-picking will not get critics anywhere except jaundice for envy. (Jun Ledesma)
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