posted on by JAMES STEPHEN BALBUENA
The Philippines has not had a scarcity of strongmen in its history—from Manuel L. Quezon, Ferdinand Marcos Sr., and the most recent president, Rodrigo Duterte. Even today, we are witnessing the birth of another leader with strong autocratic tendencies in the form of Raffy Tulfo.
Freedom House reported the trend in the Philippines since 2016 that there is an increasing experience of autocratization in the country, a shift towards a more autocratic regime. This has led to the rise of leaders with autocratic tendencies, including Rodrigo Roa Duterte, who became the president in 2016; Bato de la Rosa, Duterte’s right-hand man in the controversial War on Drugs, who became a Senator in 2019; and Sara Duterte, the presidential daughter, who was elected as the Vice President in 2022.
Unlike other politicians who often come from established political families or networks, Tulfo’s rise to power is largely influenced by his significant following on social media, particularly his YouTube channel, which ranks as the third most subscribed in the Philippines, with over 26 million followers. He ran as an independent candidate for the 2022 senatorial elections, later finishing in third place, receiving more than 23 million votes, albeit running for the first time. He is best known for his public affairs program Wanted sa Radyo and his segment Ipa-Raffy Tulfo Mo, referred to as “vigilante journalism” because they feature different societal and individual issues that he resolves and acts on as a singular arbiter of fairness and order.
Tulfo’s television program displays him as an autocrat in the making. He embodies justice so completely that he appears as a lone arbiter of right and wrong. Unlike American courtroom reality shows like Judge Judy and People’s Court, which affirm the judiciary’s role in dispensing justice, Tulfo’s approach places all decision-making power squarely in his hands. According to the leadership typology made by Pizzolitto, Verna, and Venditti, this falls under the autocratic leadership style because it centralizes power and authority on the leader, the leadership is task-oriented, and it is effective in stress contexts and when hierarchy is accepted. When “ipapa-Tulfo kita” became a popular lexicon for seeking redress and justice, it effectively replaced the formal judicial system as the authority on justice. Therefore, this affirms the Filipino value of preferring a strongman who can assert authority without being limited by checks and balances.
Moreover, Tulfo ran and won under the promise of bringing his brand of justice to the government, which is rooted in his autocratic tendencies. Today, based on a recent survey from the Social Weather Station, he is one of the expected presidential candidate frontrunners for the 2028 elections, alongside Sara Duterte and Leni Robredo.
Tulfo initiated autocratization when he rose to power through his personification of justice in the Philippines. His ascent occurred in three stages: (1) building power by aligning with political narratives that resonated with the public, (2) using performative acts to reshape social norms and consolidate power, and (3) sustaining power through a governing script.
Initially, he capitalized on the public’s dissatisfaction with the slow and cumbersome traditional justice system, proposing a quicker, more effective solution. This developed a construction of justice ripe to be a governing script. Through his television show, Ipa-Raffy Tulfo Mo, he demonstrated and performed the effectiveness of his methods, reshaping how justice is perceived and administered. His political campaign further promised to integrate this approach into government. Later, his electoral run claimed he would bring his brand of justice to the Senate. Autocratization would reach its last phase when Tulfo maintains and expands his power in the attempt to further pursue Tulfo justice because this type of justice requires executive aggrandizement due to its arbitrary nature.
As we witness these developments, it’s essential to remain vigilant. The political landscape is not only shaped by current autocrats but also by would-be autocrats who, like Tulfo, rise to power through unconventional means. These figures often start small, much like Adolf Hitler, who began his journey in modest settings, slowly building a base before implementing his broader autocratic agenda. It is common sense that prevention is better than cure, hence recognizing and addressing these tendencies early can help safeguard democratic institutions and prevent future leaders from consolidating power in ways that may prove difficult to reverse.
*Photo is from Raffy Tulfo in Action Facebook page
