The times of living dangerously

Every time I take a cab, the driver is forever tuned in to Raffy Tulfo’s program Wanted sa Radyo on Radyo5, seemingly engrossed more in listening to Raffy’s relentless style of defending the oppressed (usually coming from the deprived sector) than to smoothly navigating the clogged mid-afternoon traffic from Quezon City to The STAR’s office in Port Area, Manila.

Needless to say, cab drivers are among Raffy’s avid followers. Out of curiosity, I would ask them, “Would you vote for Raffy if he ran for congressman or senator?” (Although knowing Raffy to shun anything porky, he wouldn’t, bless him!) The answer is unanimous: a resounding YES!!!

So when I sat down for dinner with Raffy and her radio partner Niña Taduran, first thing I asked Raffy was if he had any political ambition. He shook his head vigorously. I’m convinced that Raffy — like his brothers Ramon, Ben and Erwin — is helping far more people as a fearless crime-fighter, never mind if day in and day out he must feel like tiptoeing on needles. Well, in times like this, Raffy knows too well how it is to live dangerously. It’s his calling.

Before Raffy came to dinner at Mario’s on Tomas Morato, Quezon City, fresh from another heated hosting of the Kapatid show T3 (with his Kuya Ramon and Erwin, the youngest Tulfo), I asked Niña (who came ahead) how Raffy is off the air.

“Very generous,” said Niña who has been with Raffy’s show for almost 15 years. “He will fight for you.”

They balance each other. Raffy is easy to explode (especially when he sees injustice done to somebody) and Niña, ever cool, is the perfect foil to him. “I know his mood swings,” continued Niña, sounding like a little sister who idolizes a big brother, “alam ko na ang kiliti niya more or less, so I know when to make gatong and when to stop. He seems to be intimidating but he has actually a soft spot in him.”

That’s what Funfare found out that night — Raffy’s soft side. On the way to Tomas Morato, I guess Raffy had reminded his driver to take a different route as Raffy always does every day (for security reasons, you know, to mislead whatever evil mind might be monitoring his movement). Better to be safe than to be sorry, as the popular line goes.

A typical day in Raffy’s life starts at around 10 when he wakes up, then he writes his column for five tabs, works out and, six days a week, he reports to his office at 2 p.m. Sundays are family day. He has to get seven to eight hours of sleep per night; less than that, he is, well, “not fully himself” although he still is at top performance level. He turns in a little after midnight. Part of his diet are Barley capsules, virgin coconut oil (two table spoonfuls per day) and a serving of malunggay. The death threats, which used to be a staple of his breakfast, have lessened, thank heavens!

Raffy never leaves home without an old Our Lady of Mt. Carmel scapular given to him by his mom several years ago, which he never takes off even when he takes a shower, aside from his celfone (two actually, one for personal calls) which he puts on “Silent” when he sleeps (to avoid rousing him from sweet slumber) and, you know, licensed “protection.” St. Joseph is his patron saint. Recalled Raffy, “When I was young, my mom used to warn me, ‘Kapag hindi ka nagbago, ibibigay kita kay St. Joseph,’ hehehe!”

Then, Raffy talked about the drivers. I would soon learn why drivers (taxi, bus or any kind of transportation) hold Raffy in high esteem. Since October last year on Wanted Sa Radyo, Raffy has been giving drivers  Gawad Katapatan awards in the Solian Ng Bayan segment (which used to be called Sumbungan Ng Bayan), inculcating in the drivers (and his listeners/followers as well) that honesty is still the best policy. So far, two batches have received awards.

Here are some of the biggest items surrendered to Raffy’s program:

• P5.5M worth of jewelries, by Ericson Mayo, driver of 24/7 Taxi;

• Luggage with jewelries worth P300,000, by Matias Sayson of PAFC Taxi;

• Wallet containing P11,000, by Edgar Teodosio, driver of lawyer Ray C. Espinosa, chief legal counsel of MVP Group of Companies;

• Wallet containing US$2,000, 132 Saudi Riyal and P890 (total amount in pesos: P85,335,97), by Alberto Cerbito; and

• A bag containing P42,000 and important documents, by Edison delos Santos.

“Some taxi drivers are, no doubt, crooked,” said Raffy who reminded commuters to beware of drivers who put a certain chemical in the air freshener. “The moment the driver covers his nose with a handkerchief or a face towel, that’s your signal to get off and take another cab.” But, he qualified, “most drivers are honest, that’s why we honor them by giving the annual Gawad Katapatan. The awardees proudly hang their pictures with their trophies in their cabs.”

Now when I take a cab, I relax and enjoy the ride with the radio tuned in to Raffy Tulfo, feeling safe and secure… knock on wood!

(E-mail reactions at entphilstar@yahoo.com. You may also send your questions to askrickylo@gmail.com.)