Davao City First District Representative Paolo "Pulong" Z. Duterte has publicly reaffirmed that all infrastructure projects undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in his district from 2020 to 2022 were properly completed and certified. This statement, issued on Friday, December 26, 2025, comes as national attention focuses on the allocation and use of flood control funds.
Transparency and Completed Projects
In response to circulating reports based on alleged leaked budget documents, Duterte emphasized transparency. He pointed to the public release of a consolidated list of DPWH projects in Davao City, which totaled approximately P49 billion over the three-year period. "These projects were implemented, constructed, and officially certified as completed by the DPWH," Duterte stated. He added that completion reports and official agency certifications support these records.
The congressman stressed that accountability should be judged by verifiable outcomes on the ground, not just lists of proposed projects. "Facts, certifications, and completed projects speak louder than leaked lists and selective narratives," he said.
Shifting Focus to National Spending
Duterte challenged media organizations to look beyond what he called "recycled allegations" and investigate where trillions of pesos in national flood control funds were actually spent. He specifically pointed to areas associated with the Marcos and Romualdez families. "If the media truly intends to uncover the truth behind the flood control project anomalies, it should stop chasing recycled allegations and instead scrutinize where the trillions of pesos in flood control funds actually went," he asserted.
He clarified a key point of his role, noting that lawmakers do not directly execute infrastructure projects. That responsibility, including bidding and oversight, lies with the DPWH, and all projects are subject to audit by the Commission on Audit (COA). Duterte welcomed any investigation by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), stating, "We are not concealing anything, we are not running away, and we have nothing to fear."
Roots of the Controversy and Broader Impact
The issue gained traction after ACT Teachers Party-list Representative Antonio Tinio raised concerns in 2025 about dozens of flood control projects in Davao's First District. Tinio cited potential overlaps, vague scopes of work, and possible duplication among roughly 80 contracts. DPWH records indicate that between P49 billion and P51 billion was allocated to the district from 2020 to 2022, with about P8 billion designated specifically for flood control projects.
Duterte sought to correct "misinformation," explaining that while he assumed office in 2019, he did not personally design, award, or implement the projects in question. He questioned why he and Davao City were being singled out in the national discourse.
The controversy has sparked a wider conversation about transparency and the management of infrastructure funds across the Philippines. It has prompted calls for closer reviews, including possible congressional inquiries, though no definitive conclusions have been reached. Duterte concluded his remarks with a pointed statement in Bisaya: "AYAW NAMO UG TANAW UG LAYO MGA TAGA LUZON NGA MEDIA KAY NAA RA SA TUGKARAN NINYO ANG KORUPSYON!" (Don't look far, Luzon-based media, because corruption is right in your own backyard!).
