MANILA (UPDATE) - Broadcaster Raffy Tulfo, who was proclaimed among the winning Senate candidates on Wednesday, said he would show the public that he deserved his mandate.

Tulfo, who ran independently, placed third in the Senate race with 23.39 million votes, based on official figures from the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC).

• #Halalan2022: Raffy Tulfo 'happy' to be in 3rd place, vows to be a 'working senator'

"I would like to thank lahat ng bumoto at 'di bumoto sa akin. 'Yung mga bumoto sa akin, thank you so much. I will never let you down," he said during the proclamation ceremony.

(I would like to thank everyone who voted for me and those who did not. Thank you so much. I will never let you down.)

"Papakita ko sa inyo na deserve ko po ang inyong tiwala sa pagboto sa akin at doon sa mga 'di bumoto sa akin, I guarantee that I will work hard para makuha ko po 'yung tiwala ninyo, para mapakita ko sa inyo na si Raffy Tulfo ay isang taong karapat-dapat na mahalal bilang isang senador," he added.

(I will show to everyone that I deserve your trust in voting for me and to those who did not, I guarantee that I will work hard to gain your trust. I will show everyone that Raffy Tulfo deserves to be elected to the Senate.)

Watch more News on iWantTFC

He earlier said he would like to join the Senate's majority bloc, though he said this did not mean he would agree with all its agenda.

Tulfo has said he would craft bills that would benefit employees and protect overseas Filipino workers from abusive employers. He added that as a senator, he would be able to expand his help center.

He also said he wants to push for the welfare of media workers, as well as to decriminalize libel.

"Nais kong ipaalam sa inyo, isa sa priority ko kung bakit ako pupunta sa Senado ay para tulungan yung mga taong nagsusumbong sa akin…Mayroon akong karanasan about them. Isa sa bibigyan ko ng solusyon ay yung mga taga-media - dahil ako ay isang dating broadcaster so alam ko po yung nararamdaman ninyo. Mga balakid bilang mamamahayag, ngayon palang sinasabi ko sa inyo…isa sa priority bills ko ay yung pagdecriminalize ang libel. Number 2, yung magna carta for media workers," Tulfo said.

(I would like to inform you, one of my priorities why I want to be a senator is to help those who ask for my help...I know about them. One of the problems I will solve is that involving media workers, because I am a former broadcaster so I know how you feel. The obstacles to broadcasting...As early as now I am telling you that one of my priority bills will be to decriminalize libel. Second is the magna carta for media workers.)

He also said he is ready to support ABS-CBN's application for a new franchise, adding he believes the media giant should not have been shut down.

"Hindi po napasara dapat ang ABS-CBN… why? Kung mayroong problema yung network, dapat sila ay pagmultahin. Kung kinakailangan silang makasuhan at makulong so be it, pero huwag sanang madamay yung libu-libong empleyado na umaasa sa kanilang kinikita sa ABS-CBN…Paano na lang, nawalan sila ng trabaho, I don’t know what happened to them and my heart goes with them," Tulfo said.

(ABS-CBN should not have been shut down, why? If the network had violations, they should have been fined. If they needed to be sued or sent to jail, so be it, but it shouldn't have affected thousands of its employees whose livelihood depended on ABS-CBN. They lost their jobs and I don't know what happened to them and my heart goes with them.)

Tulfo's brother Erwin will likely serve as a representative of the ACT-CIS party-list, which won 3 seats in the House of Representatives.

• ACT-CIS convincing Erwin Tulfo to join Congress: solon

Their brother Ramon Tulfo had served as special envoy to China, while their sister Wanda Tulfo Teo is a former tourism secretary under President Rodrigo Duterte.

Ramon was arrested earlier Wednesday over cyber libel charges.

• Ramon Tulfo arrested over cyber libel complaint

RELATED VIDEO

Watch more News on iWantTFC