Broadcaster Ben Tulfo during a Senate hearing. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File 

MANILA — Independent senatorial aspirant and media personality Ben Tulfo refused to talk about politics at the launch of his campaign at a rally in Quezon City on Tuesday.

Tulfo made the statement after he was asked by reporters about issues in the 2025 national budget.

“I do not want to talk about politics… I’d like to talk to you more realist, more pragmatic… Totoong kaganapan, totoong mga tao, totoong hamon, totoong problema, totoong solusyon na kailangan. ‘Yung mga tao na ‘yun, ‘yun ang importante,” he said.

“Kung ‘yung mga budget insertion, that is basically issues, and that is not exactly why I am here… I can talk about it but refuse now to talk about it, because I’d like to make sure my message resonates doon sa mga tao sa ibaba. I want ang advocacy namin resonating nationwide,” Tulfo said.

He continued, “Masyado nang hati ‘yung ating bansa. Puro pulitika ang pinag-uusapan. Ang sa akin lamang, paano naman sila? Sino ang nakikinig sa kanila? Huwag tayong malunod sa issue ng mga kung ano ang nangyayari sa bansa. Kasi ‘yan, it can solve itself.”

Tulfo ranked third among most preferred Senate bets in a January survey by Pulse Asia. 

Tulfo brothers Ben, Erwin eye Senate seat

His brother, ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo topped the survey with a 62.8-percent voter preference.

If they win in the May polls, they will join their brother, Sen. Raffy Tulfo in the upper chamber of Congress.