Press Release
September 28, 2022

Tulfo: Stop pulling out soldiers from headquarters to do chores in private homes of Generals

Senator Idol Raffy Tulfo has deplored the maltreatment of some members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) by high-ranking officials who pull them out from the headquarters to make them perform different chores in their private houses.

During the Senate budget hearing for the Department of National Defense (DND) on Tuesday, Tulfo reminded defense officials that soldiers were not trained to be the gardener, market shopper, floor sweeper and toilet cleaner of generals.

"Ang mga sundalo po natin ay trained. Nag-invest ang ating gobyerno sa kanila upang matuto sila kung paano humawak ng baril at kung paano dedepensahan ang ating bansa laban sa ating mga enemies. Hindi po sila ti-nrain para humawak ng walis at gawing 'Boy' ng mga Heneral sa kanilang mga bahay," he said.

Instead of hiring and paying for a household help, Tulfo said he found out that generals were pulling out soldiers from their duties to make them do personal errands for them, which include cleaning their private homes and their toilets, as well as shopping for their needs.

Notably, Tulfo's concern was also based from past complaints he receieved on his radio program from the wives of soldiers who claimed that their husbands were made to do the laundry and ironing of clothes of generals' families in the latter's private homes.

The Senator from Isabela and Davao maintained that soldiers' primary purpose was not to do household chores for high-ranking officials, but rather to protect and defend the nation and the Filipinos.

He stressed that no matter how good the country's military hardware equipment is, it is only as good as the people behind them and the people that operate them, that is why is it important to keep the morale of soldiers' high.

In response, DND Secretary Jose Faustino, Jr. assured Tulfo that he will have the issue that he brought up thoroughly investigated.

Tulfo likewise lamented the soldiers' meager subsistence allowance of P150 per day, which they stretch for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

"Ano pong mabibili ng 150 pesos a day ngayon? Three times a day po silang kakain. In fact, sa P150, hindi pa tayo makakabili ng disenteng hamburger niyan. Di po sapat yun. Taas-taasan naman po sana natin ang subsistence allowance nila," he said.

During his rounds amid the campaign period for the 2022 election, Tulfo shared that he witnessed how soldiers would only eat sardines, dried fish (tuyo) and sweet potato leaves (talbos ng kamote).

Tulfo likewise brought up the issue on the delayed release of Philippine Veterans Affair Office (PVAO) Old Age Pension for veterans, which he said should be addressed immediately to ensure faster processing of their claims.

"Just imagine, noong sila ay malakas pa, ay inaalagaan at pinoprotektahan nila tayo. Ngayon na mahina na sila, para na silang basahan na nagmamakaawa sa PVAO office para mabigay kung anuman ang nararapat para sa kanila. Dapat tayo naman ang mag-alaga sa kanila," he said.

Worse, Tulfo said there were cases wherein veterans' pension would only be released years after their death, and in which case, the check from the bank would merely be returned to the sender.

To ensure that proper care is afforded to soldiers who are risking their lives for the country and the Filipinos, Tulfo also pushed for the modernization of the V. Luna General Hospital, which is tasked to provide medical care to military personnel.

He underscored the need to buy modern medical equipment to improve the medical care treatment for Filipino soldiers.

On other alarming concern, Tulfo questioned AFP's approval of the installation of cell towers partially owned by a foreign entity within the country's military camps, which poses serious national security threats.

It may be recalled that the Department of Information and Communications earlier confirmed that the Philippines has weak defenses against cyberthreats and attacks, adding that they were excluded on the committee that approved the installation of said cell towers.

While AFP, through Deputy Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Rommel Anthony Reyes, reasoned that cell towers were installed because of co-location agreement, Tulfo maintained that such agreement still put Philippines at a disadvantage.

As such, the Senator urged AFP to review its current contract with telcos, and if possible, have all cell towers within the country's military camps removed. Reyes agreed to have the said contract reviewed.

Ultimately, Tulfo, whose father was a military man, said he fully supports and salutes all AFP personnel, especially soldiers who are fighting on the frontlines, for protecting our country against the enemies of the state. (30)


Tulfo: Huwag gawing 'boy' ang mga sundalo sa bahay ng mga heneral

Inalmahan ni Senator Idol Raffy Tulfo ang ginagawa ng ibang heneral mula sa Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) na pag-uutos sa ibang lower-rank soldiers na gawin ang iba't ibang gawain sa kanilang mga bahay.

Sa pagdinig ng budget ng Senado para sa Department of National Defense (DND) nitong Martes, pinaalalahanan ni Tulfo ang mga opisyal ng DND na hindi nagsanay ang mga sundalo upang maging personal na taga-pamalengke, o taga linis ng bahay at kubeta, ng mga heneral.

"Ang mga sundalo po natin ay trained. Nag-invest ang ating gobyerno sa kanila upang matuto sila kung paano humawak ng baril at kung paano dedepensahan ang ating bansa laban sa ating mga enemies. Hindi po sila ti-nrain para humawak ng walis at gawing 'Boy' ng mga Heneral sa kanilang mga bahay," ani Tulfo.

Imbes na kumuha at magbayad ng kasambahay, napagalaman ni Tulfo na pinaalis ng ilang heneral ang mga sundalo upang papuntahin sa kanilang mga bahay para gawing "Boy."

Dati ring nakatanggap si Tulfo ng reklamo sa kanyang radio program mula sa mga misis na nagsasabing inuutusan ng mga heneral na maglaba at magplantsa ng mga personal na damit nila at kanilang pamilya.

Ani Tulfo, tungkulin ng mga sundalo na pagsilbihan ang bansa at hindi ang mga matataas na opisyal na ginagawa silang "Boy."

Ayon kay DND Secretary Jose Faustino, Jr. papaimbestigahan nya ang nasabing isyu.

Di rin ikinatuwa ni Tulfo ang mababang subsistence allowance ng mga sundalo na P150 kada araw.

"Ano pong mabibili ng 150 pesos a day ngayon? Three times a day po silang kakain. In fact, sa P150, hindi pa tayo makakabili ng disenteng hamburger niyan. Di po sapat yun. Taas-taasan naman po sana natin ang subsistence allowance nila," ani Tulfo.

Ayon sa mambabatas, nakita niya noong siya ay nagiikot para mangampanya na ang kinakain lamang ng mga sundalo ay sardinas, tuyo at talbos ng kamote.

Tinalakay din ni Tulfo ang diumano'y delay sa pagbibigay ng Philippine Veterans Affair Office (PVAO) Old Age Pension para sa mga beterano.

"Just imagine, noong sila ay malakas pa, ay inaalagaan at pinoprotektahan nila tayo. Ngayon na mahina na sila, para na silang basahan na nagmamakaawa sa PVAO office para mabigay kung anuman ang nararapat para sa kanila. Dapat tayo naman ang mag-alaga sa kanila," saad niya.

Ayon kay Tulfo, may mga pagkakataon pa kung saan marerelease lamang ang pension ng mga beterano kung kailan sila ay pumanaw na.

Para naman mabigay ang medikal na pangangailangan ng mga sundalo, Itinulak din ni Tulfo ang modernisasyon ng V. Luna General Hospital. Saad niya, kailangan ng makabili ng mga makabagong kagamitang pang medikal.

Sa ibang isyu naman, kinuwestyon ni Tulfo ang pag-apruba ng AFP sa paglalagay ng mga cell towers na bahagyang pag-aari ng dayuhan, sa loob ng mga kampo ng militar.

Hinimok ng Senador ang AFP na rebyuhin ang kasalukuyang kontrata nito sa mga telcos, at kung maaari, tanggalin ang lahat ng cell towers sa loob ng mga kampo.

Sa huli, sinabi ni Tulfo na buo ang kanyang suporta at pagsaludo sa lahat ng tauhan ng AFP sa pagprotekta sa bansa laban sa mga kaaway ng estado.

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