MANILA, Philippines — The buko vendor mauled by MMDA personnel for fighting back when apprehended for illegal kariton parking went to complain to Raffy Tulfo, the broadcaster to see when all solutions flop. Over Wanted sa Radyo on Radyo5 92.3 News FM, the credulous complainer got a huge startle when shackled as a criminal in hiding from a murder case.
This is the kind of lead in broadcast work that made the Guild of Educators, Mentors and Students (GEMS) award Raffy, dapper in his “uniform” dark suit, as 2017 Best Male Radio Broadcaster in recognition ceremony held at De la Salle-Zobel Ayala Alabang on March 3.
Lost and found for delinquent dads and high-breed dogs with the highest male listenership, Raffy’s frame of reference is to deliver result at all cost, even paying for DNA test (“P20,000 ‘yan. May pondo naman.”) to find out if a crying boy is a carped father’s biological son.
This area of influence goes on weekdays, every cabbie’s must-tune in mid-afternoon FM station. He’s that of a curiosity grabber he’s not even on primetime but on a dead slot. Here is a phenomenon!
Raffy accepts his trophy and certificate as 2017 Best Male Radio Broadcaster. — Instagram photo by Wendell Alvarez
Raffy is the Rafael Yabut and Johnny de Leon of now, not even balking to travel abroad to ensure the resolution of a reported problem. He’s a fresh stir of public service and derring-do that we have not experienced for the longest time that’s why he is ahead of the public service genre.
No wonder the queue of complainers is endless even when airing mid-afternoon. Working systematically with assistants who interview complainers and attend to them even before Raffy put them on air, Niña Taduran provides the female POV and reporters accompany complainers to see through the grievance’s details.
It’s an onscreen process that works seamlessly, toppling knotted areas to complainer’s satisfaction. He uses a freakish mix of sleuthing, male understanding and intimidation to deliver. And Raffy is fair and thorough to both complainer and complained until he comes across a liar when he starts to spew unkind words and some non-printable.
If a taxi driver, senior citizen and worker turn in a good deed, Raffy rewards the Gawad ng Katapatan Award, plus a crisp P1,000 bill with products from sponsors.
Exactly the qualities needed in a government leader.