SEN. Rafael Tulfo has no plans to run for president in 2028 despite being statistically tied with Vice President Sara Duterte in the latest Pulse Asia survey on presidential preferences, the senator’s younger brother Rep. Erwin Tulfo (PL, ACT-CIS) said yesterday.
“Napag-usapan ‘yan (That was discussed), and he (Raffy) said no. He doesn’t want to run because it’s a major, major headache,” Rep. Tulfo told reporters in an interview.
The Pulse Asia survey, conducted from March 6 to 10, showed that Sen. Tulfo got 35 percentage points while Duterte received 34, making them statistically tied.
In the vice-presidential preference survey, Sen. Grace Poe got the top position with 35 percentage points, followed by presidential sister Sen. Imee Marcos with 16.
The same Pulse Asia survey showed Rep. Tulfo and former Senate President Vicente Sotto III are the top choices for senators if the 2025 mid-term elections were held today.
The survey showed that Tulfo and Sotto gained 57.1 percent and 51.8 percent support, respectively, of the respondents.
Rep. Tulfo, however, said he is not thinking about running for a higher position as of now, stressing that “2028 is very, very, far. There are a lot of problems that need to be solved right now instead of thinking about the elections.
“I’m happy where I am right now: in Congress. Actually, when you look at it, we have the same job. Laws passed in the House need to be passed by the Senate as well. So, what for?” he said. “I will just continue with what I am doing right now.”
Others in the top 12 of the survey on senatorial preferences are former President Rodrigo Duterte (47.7 percent), Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go (44.2 percent), Sen. Pia Cayetano (37.7 percent), former Sen. Manny Pacquiao (33.7 percent), Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa (33.2 percent), Sen. Imee Marcos (32.1 percent), former Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso (31.5 percent), broadcaster Ben Tulfo (30.5 percent), Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. (29.6 percent) and Makati Mayor Abigail Binay (29.1 percent).
Rep. Tulfo said his other elder brother Ben was surprised to be included in the Top 12 because he has no political plans.
“When I talked to him the other day, wala naman siyang plan (he doesn’t have plans),” he said. “Nagulat siya (Ben) na biglang sinama siya doon (He was surprised that he was included).”
