RAFFY TULFO hit it big with his Radyo5 and TV5 program, “Wanted sa Radyo”, a public service program where he helps people with problems to obtain the justice they seek from those who they perceive as oppressing them. The format quickly became a big hit with both radio listeners and TV viewers.
The film clips of warring parties confronting each other in his show became a big hit even on youtube, making Raffy a real youtube star with 18.3million followers. He now even has more subscribers than some big name stars, making him a real youtube star.
No doubt he is now the most popular Tulfo. He is the 8th in a family of 10 siblings but he has now eclipsed the careers of his earlier more famous brothers Ramon, Ben and Erwin.
“Honestly, I don’t think of that," he says humbly. "I’m still the same Raffy Tulfo na parang nung nagsisimula pa lang ako as reporter sa PTV4. Walang pagbabago sa akin. Hindi ko iniisip na may 18.3 million subsrcibers ako sa youtube, kasi baka lumaki ang ulo ko and I don’t want that to happen.”
Isn’t he afraid of being overexposed since he is now seen in so many shows?
“Yes, marami akong exposure, but I don’t consider it as overexposed kasi iba iba naman ang oras na napapanood ako at iba-ibang klaseng viewers ang nanonood sa’kin. Sa ‘Idol in Action’, mga housewives ang nanonood sa amin.
"In ‘Wanted sa Radyo’, mga manggagawa. Sa ‘Fronline Pilipinas’, newscast yan and everybody watches it. And now in ‘Wanted Ang Serye’, this is also for all viewers from all social classes kasi kahit ang mga nasa A&B class lumalapit sa akin kapag may problema sila.”
Will he replaced Charo Santos Concio of “Maalaala Mo Kaya” and Mel Tiancgo of “Magpakailanman” in dramatizing real life stories?
“Naku, hindi. Sina Ma’am Charo and Ma’am Mel, malayong-malayo na po sila at ang mga programa nila. Nandito pa lang po ako.”
Will he ever appear as an actor in an episode of his show? “Ay no, I won’t act. Hindi bagay sa akin, hindi ko kaya. Sinubukan ko siya minsan, natatawa ako sa sarili ko, so hindi talaga pwede.”
So how do they choose which stories will be dramatized in “Wanted: Ang Serye”?
“We have a team in choosing the stories. We chose yung mga nag-trending, nag-viral, pinag-usapan at controversial episodes, but more than anything else, yung may kapupulutang aral ang viewers.
"Then we call those involved sa actual cases to ask their approval, we tell them kung paano tatakbo ang story at kung sino ang gaganap sa papel nila. Merong pumapayag, merong ayaw, tumatanggi, uncomfortable na isadula yung nangyari sa kanila.
"Meron namang humihingi ng compensation na okay lang naman with us.”
The first episode was shown last Saturday and it is about a brother and sister who had an incestuous relationship played by Louise de los Reyes and Bugoy Carino.
Another episode lined up on Saturday at 9 PM is the love story of Joana, a lesbian, and Exur, a gay man, who fell in love with each other, played by Ritz Azul and Epy Quizon.
Then there’s the story of a husband, Adrian Alandy, whose wife, Maxene Eigenmann, worked as an OFW abroad and had an illicit affair with Alex Castro.
The fourth story is about a mother, played by Ruby Ruiz, who is maltreated by her own children and slapped by one of them using a tsinelas.
What does Idol Raffy think is the reason why people keep running to him for help?
“Siguro dahil nagagampanan ko ang role na gusto nilang gampanan ko, which is in helping them solve their problems. At mukhang naging effective naman, kaya they keep on coming back to ask for my help.”
How about celebrities?
"It depends on them if they would want their stories to be dramatized on TV We are now talking to some of them, pero hinihingi pa namin ang kanilang permiso. Siempre kung ayaw nila, wala naman kaming magagawa.”
