Broadcast journalist-turned-lawmaker Raffy Tulfo must be enjoying reliving his part as Mr. Action Man in his popular radio and television programs as he recently sparred verbally with colleague Cynthia Villar in the Senate.
Tulfo, who anchors top-rated shows “Wanted sa Radyo” and “Raffy Tulfo in Action” before getting elected senator is known for his hard-hitting, no-holds-barred commentary on issues about abuses and injustices committed by people in power against ordinary citizens.
As a broadcast journalist, he is a known champion of the poor who fights for the downtrodden, many of whom are laborers who flock to his radio show every day to seek his help.
When the neophyte senator clashed with Villar over the conversion of farmlands into subdivisions and commercial areas, it’s as if one is watching one of his top-rating programs. The Senate, it seems, has been witness to his life-changing public service in action.
The heated exchange occurred during the plenary deliberations on the 2023 budget of the Department of Agriculture wherein Tulfo inquired about the DA’s efforts to address the decreasing number of farmlands in the country.
“Farmlands are getting smaller and smaller as big developers buy them and convert them into commercial and residential lands. What is the DA doing about this?” he asked.
Villar, the sponsor of the proposed P160.85 billion budget of the DA for next year, responded with a seeming explanation of how her family’s business acquired lands to develop into residential or commercial ventures.
The lady senator’s family owns and runs property developer and Lifescales with projects that include subdivisions and malls.
While admitting that it is their bread and butter, Villar explained that they do not buy agricultural land in the provinces. “We only buy in cities and capital towns,” she said and went on to point out why people sell their lands for profit and reinvestment.
Tulfo, however, said Villar’s response was not answering his question. Instead, he repeated his assertion that many farmlands in the country have been commercialized.
Villar interjected: “Where will people live if you don’t build subdivisions?”
Ever insistent, Tulfo replied by pointing out that there are many other areas where these subdivisions can be constructed.
“Just don’t take over the farms because sometimes, the impoverished farmers are being taken advantage of,” he said.
Tulfo also pointed out that due to the Rice Tariffication Law which liberalizes the importation of rice, farmers are often pushed to sell their lands due to tight financial situations.
Villar, however, countered that the RTL was crucial in bringing down the country’s credit rating. She also noted that money collected from rice tariffs was all given to small rice farmers.
Tulfo then called for the need to pass the long overdue National Land Use Act which aims to create a national land management plan. It was here that the two argued which level of land management is most optimal prompting Senate President Miguel Zubiri to move for a minute suspension.
Whoever came out eliciting support from the public can be gleaned from news headlines the following days.
On the heels of the sensational faceoff between a so-called champion of the downtrodden and the acknowledged richest senator, 97 civic groups, as of the last count, have called for Villar to step down as chairperson of two committees in the chamber over allegations of conflict of interest.
This is the same lawmaker who received flak several years ago over her belittling statement on the nursing profession during a senatorial forum.
“Actually hindi naman kailangan ng nurse na matapos ng BSN (BS Nursing). Kasi itong mga nurses gusto lang nilang maging room nurse, (They don’t need to finish BSN. They only want to become room nurse)” she said.
Villar later apologized after netizens criticized her comments. But she just can’t seem to steer clear of controversial statements.
The lady senator, who claims to be a champion for the environment, was also slammed for belittling fishermen and farmers during last week’s budget hearing, saying they knew nothing about climate change.
What she doesn’t know is that these vulnerable sectors understand climate change better as they experience its impact every day.
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