RAFFY TULFO IN ACTION VIEWERSHIP

Janessa C. Costillas
College of Arts and Sciences
Cebu Normal University

Abstract
Mediation and arbitration programs initiated by the government as alternate
dispute resolution between persons in conflict has long had a disrepute among the Filipinos.
However, the emergence of mediation programs by the media immediately catches the
attention and trust of the public which lead to the program, Raffy Tulfo in Action (RTIA), a
nationwide refuge of Filipinos who wish to have justice served in an efficient manner. This
This study aims to investigate the status of Raffy Tulfo’s YouTube channel, Raffy Tulfo In
Action. Specifically, it examines the contents of the episodes and methods of the program,
the causes of their viewership, the effects of their popularity, and the causes and effects of the
program to the accused. This is a qualitative research which involves secondary research or
collecting and analyzing existing data in the form of texts, blogs, news articles, video
recording, etc. that can be found online. 100 video uploads on RTIAs YouTube channel from
December 15 and backwards were reviewed. After thorough analysis of the information found
online, findings reveal that all the analyzed videos produced 11 major categories of content
episodes and shed light on the process and flow of the program. It also uncovered the fact that
of 80-90% of the Filipino population are aware of the program and tune in to witness scenarios
relevant to the Filipino reality. It also reveals the adverse implications of the program to the
accused as prejudicial publicity may deny them of their fair trial rights. Based on the findings,
it is therefore concluded that Raffy Tulfo In Action has social impacts that may be
advantageous or disadvantageous to the society. The program could improve its process by
conducting thorough investigation, in-depth knowledge of the law, and consulting lawyers
and concerned government agencies. The judicial department could improve the justice
system by making it accessible, efficient and fair to the public.

I. INTRODUCTION
A view has been expressed that Filipinos seem to be litigious people. The heavy influx
of cases in the first and second level courts for the period of 1995 to 2000 is the basis for this
perception. The problem of perennial clogged court dockets has become a primary focus
currently implemented by the Supreme Court. As part of its overall mission to unclog
perennial court dockets, eventually leading to improved effectiveness and efficiency in the
Philippine Judiciary, the following goals are prioritized: (1) dispose of the existing backlog of
cases in all court; (2) study and address the causes of failure to observe the periods to decide
cases mandated by the Constitution; and (3) promote alternative modes of dispute resolution
(Disini, Aguiling-Pangalangan and Daroy-Morales).
With all these systems in place, statistics still show a high volume of disputes submitted
for judicial resolution. As a result, there is a growing dissatisfaction among Filipino citizens
in the use of the aforementioned courts for settling controversies, which discourages parties
from seeking redress through the courts. Among the reasons are (1) the costly and slow
process of litigation; (2) rigidity of procedural and technical rules; (3) adversarial nature of
our litigation system; (4) inadequacy of legal solutions or frameworks for resolving intricate
and complex issues (Disini, Aguiling-Pangalangan and Daroy-Morales).
Such discontentment called for a reform in the Judicial Department. Alternative
Dispute Resolution (ADR) has emerged as the key to decongesting court dockets. The term
collectively refers to negotiation, conciliation, mediation and arbitration. The most common
approach to legal disputes are arbitration and mediation, but of these two methods,
mediations seems to result to concrete and immediate gains. The potential of mediation for
reducing the caseload of trial courts has been recognized by the Supreme Court (Davide). At
present, there are 12 agencies that use ADR in the Philippines. The most common is the
Katarungang Pambaranggay (Lupon), a community-based or barangay justice system headed
by the Brgy. Chairman. Under the direction and supervision of the Department of Interior
and Local Government (DILG). In 2013, a nationwide total of 425,263 cases were filed in
the different barangays, of which 77% were settled, and only 23% were not (Official Gazette).
To address the more or less 23% gap of unresolved ADR cases, the media decided to
step in through various programs on-air. One of the most popular programs is TV5’s Raffy
Tulfo In Action aired on YouTube. The show is hosted by Mr. Raffy Tulfo, a Filipino
broadcast-journalist known as a hard-hitting commentator on issues relating to abuses and
injustices committed by people in power against ordinary citizens. The said program’s
YouTube channel started in April 20, 2016 and remains active at present with around 5-7
video uploads per day. As of December 14, 2020, it has around 5,800 videos to date with
approximately 8 billion combined video views (Youtube). The channel has daily average
views of 8,200,000 and a weekly average of 57,400,000. As the program stays consistent with
its regular uploads and its commitment to serving justice to those who are downtrodden, so
is its popularity and reach among the Filipino audience.
This study aims to investigate the status of Raffy Tulfo’s YouTube channel, Raffy
Tulfo In Action. Specifically, it answers the following questions: (1) the contents of the
episodes and methods of the program; (2) the causes of their viewership; (3) the effects of their
popularity; and (4) the effects of the program to the accused.

II. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

This study theorizes that the mediation programs created by the media has social
impacts which eventually creates structures that become acceptable in the society. It is
anchored in the following communication theories: Adaptive Structuration Theory, Magic
Bullet Theory, and Media Dependency Theory.
Adaptive Structuration Theory. Groups and organizations like the media can
unintentionally or deliberately create structures in the society which eventually form social
systems. As a result, the decision making of a society’s constituents is somehow shaped by it
over the course of time.
 Hypodermic Needle Theory. The inherent trust of the people to the media creates a belief
that most, if not all content coming from the media is the end all be all of information. Its
message is perceived to be very powerful and impactful to the audience.

Mediation programs created by the media has social impacts which

eventually creates structures that become acceptable in the society.

Contents of the
Effects of the
episodes and Causes of their Effects of its
program to the
methods of the viewership popularity
accused
program

III. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This is a qualitative research which involves secondary research or collecting and
analyzing existing data in the form of texts, blogs, news articles, video recording, etc. that can
be found online. 100 video uploads on Raffy Tulfo In Action’s (RTIA) YouTube channel
from December 15 and backwards were examined. Videos were tagged and categorized into
the common classifications which helped understand the contents of the program’s episodes.
Data from Social Blade, a website that tracks social media statistics and analytics, and
Statista - a company specializing in market and consumer data, were also gathered to further
understand the trend of the channel and its viewership.

IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

After the analysis of the gathered data, the study has produced four key findings.
1. There are eleven identified categories of episodes in Raffy Tulfo in Action, often resolved by the
program at an average of one to two weeks.
As seen in Figure 1 below, two major categories have the most common episodes at
23% – family conflicts, usually between parents and children and romantic affairs such as
infidelity and adultery, to name a few. These are then followed by complaints against Local
Government Units (LGU)/ Government officials mostly against barangay Chairmen or
Councilors; and persons in authority such as police officers, traffic enforcers, fire officers, etc.
Financial issues are also a common occurrence in program having 9% of the total number of
videos analyzed. RTIA’s assistance program ranks 5 th with 11 videos dedicated to helping
those who seek financial and medical aid. RTIA also offers start-up business package as a
replacement or on top of the financial assistance to address sustainability and ensure that the
persons who were assisted can stand on their own even after appearing on the show.
Categories of disputes aired in RTIAs episodes found in Figure 1 are often classified
as civil cases which can be arbitrated and mediated through the Katarungang Pambaranggay
headed by the Barangay Chairman, one of the twelve (12) recognized agencies that can
manage Alternative Dispute Resolutions. If unresolved, it may then me escalated to the
Municipal Trial Court (MTC).

RAFFY TULFO IN ACTION CONTENT OF EPISODES

Neighbor Disputes
6%
Social Media Others
Job/Employer
humiliation 1%
complaints
5%
5%
Complaints against
peace and order
3% Romantic Affairs,
Program assistance Infidelity,
(financial, medical, Adultery, etc.
start-up business, 23%
etc.) Complaints against
8% LGU/Government
Physical/Domestic officials and
Abuse persons in
6% Financial authority
Family Conflicts
issues 11%
23%
9%

Figure 1. Summary of major categories out of 100 episodes uploaded in Raffy Tulfo In Action.

It is also important to note that there are 32 episodes of the 100 videos analyzed that
have 2-3 conflicts per episode (See figure 2). The highest number of occurrences are romantic
affairs that meddle with financial issues and family conflicts respectively. A notable example
would be that of couples involved in romantic or sexual relationships, eventually leading to
conflict due to unresolved financial issues. Disputes with neighbors also takes a big chunk
involving multiple conflict. Issues such as bullying, public humiliation and slander are
common reasons why complainants take to the show their anger and hope for fairness.
 EPISODES WITH MULTIPLE CONFLICTS

Romantic Affairs &

Domestic Abuse
Disputes 12%
with
neighbors
Conflicts involving 16%
Social Media
humiliation Romantic Affairs &
13% Financial Issues
25%

Family Conflicts & Romantic Affairs &

Financial Issues Family Conflicts
9% 25%

Figure 2. Breakdown 32 episodes with 2-3 conflicts.

As seen in Figure 3, most episodes uploaded on RTIA have a duration of around one
to two weeks from the submission of the case, research, airing of the episode and lastly the
resolution. In a usual civil proceeding, the main stages include (1) filing of the complaint,
issuance of summons and exchange of operative pleadings, which generally take three to six
months; (2) referral to two-stage mediation, pre-trial and discovery, which could take six
months to one year; (3) trial proper, which, depending on the complexity of the case, number
of witnesses and other exigencies, could take anywhere from six months to three years; and
(4) rendition of judgement, which could take from six months to two years. (International
Comparative Legal Guides). Consequently, judiciary civil proceedings take a minimum of
one year and nine months to six and a half years at the latest before reaching final judgement
from the court. While the rules of court provide periods for both litigants and thecourt
throughout the process, these are seldom observed due to the congested court dockets.

1 – 2 WEEKS

RTIA staff
RTIA Reseachers
Complainant RTIA picks a coordinates
collect more
submits complaint complaint to resolve concerned parties to
information about
to Action Center on air. schedule for
the complaint.
filming.

Complaint resolved
Mr.Tulfo analyzes Mr. Tulfo tries to
Filming. Raffy with the help of
the possible cases mediate both
Tulfo interviews the authorities or
that can be filed parties, or further
complainant and complainants will
and consults a investigate through
the accused. push with filing a
lawyer. the authorities.
case.

Figure 3. Average duration and flow of an episode from beginning to end.

 At the rate with which the Philippine Judiciary compares to Raffy Tulfo in Action
given the set data above, it is reasonable for most Filipinos to take refuge on the latter’s
program to resolve civil conflicts, considering factors such as the short duration and little to
no cost in the proceedings.
2. The viewership of Raffy Tulfo in Action is attributed to the Filipinos’ inclination to watching
TV shows or teleseryes stories reflecting the Filipino reality.
A blog suggests that RTIA garners attention and views due to the Filipinos inclination
to drama, relatability, quick resolutions and realizations (www.remit.com.au). Filipino
teleseryes share some characteristics and have similar roots with classic soap operas and
telenovelas, yet the teleserye has evolved into a genre with its own unique characteristics,
often working as a social realist reflection of Filipino reality. Pep.ph lists 19 longest-running
teleseryes in ABS-CBN with Mara Clara at the top – a story of two girls that were switched
at birth from contrasting social classes facing different challenges, airing for four years and six
months. “Maalaala mo Kaya (MMK)”, dubbed as the longest-running drama anthology on
Philippine television with Charo Santos - Concio narrating and sharing real-life stories and
lessons of ordinary people from personal experiences for over two decades (IMDb). These
long-running teleseryes attest the high viewership and rating of the programs in Figure 4
resulting to extensions that span from more than one to four years of airtime. Relatively, the
storylines of the top 10 teleseryes below mostly evolves around family-oriented narratives,
romantic relationships, friendships, contrasting social classes, criticisms against government
officials or persons in authority and dramatic plots. These common genres are also evident in
RTIAs summary of major categories, where such topics are a common occurrence in their
program, suggesting that Filipinos entertainment interests often revolve around these subjects.

TOP 10 LONGEST-RUNNING TELESERYES OF ABS-CBN (in years)

Pangako Sa'yo (2000-2002)

Sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggan (2001-2003)
Saan ka man Naroroon (1999-2001)
Sa Puso ko Iingatan Ka (2001-2003)
Mula sa Puso (1997-1999)
Marinella (1999-2001)
Be Careful with My Heart (2012-2014)
Esperanza (1997-1999)
FPJ's Ang Probinsyano (2015-2020)
Mara Clara (1992-1997)

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5

Figure 4. Top 10 longest-running teleseryes of ABS-CBN as of 2019.

 The outputs of Philippine’s film and media industry has not significantly changed in
terms of content and storyline. Most films or shows are still tailored towards the Filipino
audience’s inclination to drama and reality. Somehow, the lessons taught in these
films/shows have eventually become a standard or basis in judging a positive or negative
morale in the society. These are actually and mostly good implications on the role of the
media as people have an inherent trust on them and the content they are producing, as
suggested by the Hypodermic Needle Theory. It just needs to be more strictly regulated by
the government’s regulatory body, the Movie And Television Review And Classification
Board (MTRCB).
3. Most Filipinos now call the attention of Raffy Tulfo In Action when faced with injustices.
PulseAsia measures the Philippine population’s Tulfo awareness at either the high 80s
or low 90s or that nine out of ten Filipinos know about the program, and around three out of
ten would vote Raffy Tulfo into the Senate (PulseAsia). This survey data suggests that the
high level of awareness among the Filipino population has contributed much to its viewership.
Consequently, data at these extremes could mean that there are underlying social
impacts in place. Positive effects that could arise from these statistics include, but not limited
to (1) Quick and efficient mediation and resolution of civil disputes. Raffy Tulfo initiates
cooperation between the complainants, the accused and the authorities, all the while
understanding the implications of their actions and the effects of media when it goes public;
(2) “Justice” at no cost as the program pays for all expenses incurred during the start until the
end of the program, whether or not the judgement is to settle, reconcile or file a case; (3) Social
media has become a tool for getting the justice closer to a mere recognition or even resolution.
Filipino social media users are quick to tag the program’s Facebook page or use the hashtag
#RaffyTulfoInAction whenever a photo, video and other posts of public concern such as
domestic commotion, crooked officials, abusive businesses, etc., are circulating online, in the
hopes of getting the concerned individual the attention and perhaps justice it deserves.

Figure 5. Awareness, reach and audience interactions of Raffy Tulfo in Action.

 The widespread reach of RTIA is quite evident on social media, specifically on
Facebook, with around 542,000 posts with the hashtag or mention of #RaffyTulfoInAction
(Facebook). These concretizes the impression that Filipinos are losing trust over the
Philippine’s judicial system. RTIA has become a phenomenon and a social system – a
decision-making and justice-serving institution as suggested by the Adaptive Structuration
Theory. “Ipapa-Tulfo kita” has made its way into our national lexicon (Gian Lao), indicating
that the top of the mind authority of justice for most Filipinos is Raffy Tulfo, not the
Philippine Judicial System. This compelling situation definitely needs action from the
Judiciary department as they cannot afford to just lose their credibility over a radio program.
The program flow and process are also shorter by a steep percentage than that of the
court system and most importantly, Raffy Tulfo is not a lawyer but a mediator. This means
that the investigations conducted by the program may not have substantial evidence than that
of the court, which may lead to a misjudgment of the case. Additionally, Raffy Tulfo is not a
lawyer. So, he may recommend resolutions that are not in the basis of the law, which has
happened several times in the four years of his program, causing irreparable damage to a
person’s image, dignity and career. It is good to note however, that Tulfo consults a lawyer
before deciding on a case recommendation in his recent videos. This is a positive
improvement of the program to ensure that rightful justice is served to those who truly deserve
it.
4. Prejudicial publicity by airing a conflict or case on RTIA denies the accused of fair trial rights.
An episode with three parts titled “Mommy, ipina-Tulfo and pasaway na teacher ng
kanyang anak!” (Mommy reports misbehaving teacher to Tulfo), created public uproar when
Raffy Rulfo strongly urged the teacher to give up her professional teaching license or face
criminal charges for child abuse. The student’s family suggested on-the-spot that the teacher’s
license be revoked with which the teacher hesitantly agreed on the digital public after much
distress and pressure from the host. The public opinion at the time were divided but mostly
favoring the teacher’s side. Educational organizations and teachers nationwide were also
quick to come to the defense of the accused after facing criticisms with regards to student
discipline. After receiving backlash from social media, the program announced a few days
later that the accused will not be sued anymore but asserted that the teacher must still be
sanctioned and taught maximum tolerance through proper procedures according to applicable
laws and policies and government agencies.
An ABS-CBN commentary on RTIA mentions that the “Tulfo Formula” is unhealthy
for any society. Instant justice is fallible, extralegal, and prone to abuse (Gian Lao). The
program makes a spectacle out of suffering. It’s trial by publicity. It misleads the general
population with the idea that justice is faster and more just outside the justice system.
Prejudicial publicity, often known as trial by publicity or trial by media, is the publicity given
to the victim and the accused, their life story, their family background and their thoughts and
feelings on the events that transpired and led to the case now on trial. These narrations are
aired before the press without the force and effect of an oath. But unavoidably, they have
unintentional influence on the public including the trial judge (Jose Sison). Prejudicial
publicity with the deliberate or incidental involvement of media coverage and projection –
can easily corrupt sensitive judicial and other investigative processes. These processes are
better served by people specifically trained to cultivate a strong sense of fairness, who pay
rigorous attention to procedural correctness and persist with time-consuming efforts to get to
the very bottom of things (Felipe B. Miranda).
RTIA’s trial by publicity denies the accused of his/her constitutional right to due
process as stipulated in the Art. 3 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution. As Raffy Tulfo is not
a judge by any means, he has no authority per se to serve justice in his program, as it might
lead to giving the accused otherwise. Rather, he can consult a lawyer or forward complex
cases to the pertinent authorities.

V. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the findings, it is therefore concluded that the program Raffy Tulfo in Action
(RTIA) has created a huge social impact that are advantageous or disadvantageous to the
society. With around 80%-90% awareness among Filipinos nationwide, government
regulation is crucial and necessary to ensure that the program’s role in the arbitration and
mediation of civil conflicts are not abused. Government intervention is also imperative in
guaranteeing that Filipinos can distinguish both RTIA and the Judiciary Department as
different institutions, not one over or the same as the other.
RTIA’s viewership is picking-up more and more audience by the day considering the
factors discussed in the results. The program’s influence is highly noticeable on social media
and it becoming a national phenomenon. It is important to note that it is just a temporary
solution to the government’s judicial role in providing efficient and correct judgement to serve
justice to those who rightfully deserves it. RTIA could greatly improve its process and
maintain its credibility by conducting thorough investigation, having in-depth knowledge of
the law, and consulting lawyers and concerned government agencies. The judicial department
could improve the justice system by making it accessible, efficient and fair to the public.

VI. WORKS CITED

Anarcon, James Patrick. pep.ph. 15 April 2019.

Atienza, Maria Ela L. and Ferdinand C. Baylon. "The Judiciary." Morada, Noel M. and
Teresa S. Encarnacion Tadem. Philippine Politics and Governance: An Introduction.
Diliman, Quezon City: Department of Political Science, College of Social Sciences
and Philosophy, University of the Philippines, 2006. 577.
Baluyot, Samantha. remit.com.au. 8 November 2019.
Davide, Hilario Jr. "Mediation." PHILJA (2002): 203.
Disini, Dominggo P., et al. "Dispute Resolution Mechanisms in the Philippines." (2002):
139.
Education, Department of. deped.gov.ph. 24 November 2019.
International Comparative Legal Guides. https://iclg.com/. n.d.
Lao, Gian. ABS-CBN. 10 November 2019.
Miranda, Felipe B. Philstar Global. 12 April 2001.
Sison, Jose C. Philstar Global. 18 September 2006.
Staff, CNN Philippines. CNN Philippines. 23 November 2019.