Senate Deputy Majority Leader Risa Hontiveros on Monday welcomed Sen. Raffy Tulfo’s well-wishes for her own political ambitions, even as Tulfo formally closed the door on any bid for higher office in 2028.
Tulfo said he intends to seek a second Senate term instead, brushing aside suggestions from private sector figures who had floated the idea of him running for president or vice president.
“Yung mga nagsabi sa akin, yun nasa private sector… kumbaga nag-recommend lang. Pero wala nagsabi na, ‘Uuy, tumakbo ka, akong bahala sa’yo, tulungan kita.’ Wala. Yun yung mga nakipag-usap sa akin, parang nag-recommend lang, parang sasuggest, what if yun. Tapos yung sabi ko, ‘Pasensya na, ayoko,'” he told reporters.
He was emphatic that neither President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. nor Vice President Sara Duterte had approached him about seeking higher office.
Tulfo pointed to the nature of the Senate seat as his reason for staying put, saying direct contact with constituents and the ability to act on their concerns made the role more fulfilling than the presidency.
“Dito mas marami ako nagagawa, marami ako nakakausap ng tao, face to face, nakakausap ko sila, nabibigyan ko solusyon yung kanilang problema. ‘Pag ikaw ay nandun sa taas, damn if you do, damn if you don’t. Kung gumawa ka ng tama, mali ka meron pa rin kokontra sa ‘yo na mali ka, hindi ka gumawa, sabihin tamad ka at wala kang pakinabang,” he said.
His decision follows remarks his brother, Sen. Erwin Tulfo — who won a Senate seat in the May 2025 elections — made last February 19, also ruling out a run for higher office. Raffy Tulfo said his comments came in part as a response to an analyst who had proposed a potential Leni Robredo-Erwin Tulfo tandem for the 2028 presidential race.
“Definitely. I will run for re-election. Yan itaga nyo sa bato. I will run for re-election sa 2028 as senator,” Raffy Tulfo said.
Hontiveros, who has previously expressed openness to running for president, vice president, or any position an opposition coalition may offer her, received Tulfo’s good wishes warmly, citing a cordial relationship that dates back to when the two served as seatmates in a previous Congress.
“Salamat kay Sen. Raffy. Mula noong naging seatmates kami sa previous Congress, talagang ganoon kagaan ang loob namin sa isa’t isa. Ang progress po sa hanay ng opposition and reform-minded and modernizing groups ay patuloy ang aming pagbubuo ng pagkakaisa para pumili ng isang standard bearer na ilalaban sa 2028 kasama ng isang buong slate,” she said.
Hontiveros said the opposition is working through the process of determining its standard bearer and that an earlier announcement would be preferable to attract broader public support. Asked about the prospect of a female presidential and vice presidential tandem, she said the women in their coalition would be part of whatever arrangement the unified opposition agrees on.
“Well, everywhere is a woman’s place, every time is a woman’s time. So kung anoman ang mapagkakasunduan ng nagkakaisang mga puwersa para sa 2028, nandoon, nandoon lagi ang mga babae kasama,” she said.
