MANILA – Senator Erwin Tulfo has urged his colleagues in the Senate to keep focus on pressing public concerns such as the rising cost of food and medical care, as well as access to education and employment, even as deliberations on the 2026 budget and hearings on the flood control controversy continue.

“I hope that in between the hearings on flood control and the talks on the 2026 budget, we can also focus on the perennial problems of the people—food, health, education, and jobs,” Tulfo said in a recent ambush interview.

He acknowledged the importance of addressing corruption in infrastructure projects but reminded lawmakers not to lose sight of Filipinos’ daily struggles. “It’s right that we all focus on this corruption issue involving politicians so it doesn’t happen again, but we lawmakers should not lose sight of how to resolve the problems with the price of goods and medical treatment, the schooling of our youth, and the lack of livelihood for our countrymen,” Tulfo said.

Tulfo also noted that the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), Department of Justice (DOJ), and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) are already mandated to identify officials involved in the alleged flood control anomalies and to file cases. “Since we already have the ICI, DOJ, and NBI to identify other officials involved and to file cases, I think it’s high time that the Senate must now focus on the problems of the people,” he added.

The neophyte senator stressed that beyond corruption, Filipinos remain most concerned about food, health, education, and jobs—issues consistently raised during the last elections.