Don't politicize 'unavoidable' Davao floods, says Bong Go

Amid the widespread and severe flooding across the Davao Region due to the Southwest Monsoon and Typhoon Kiyapo, Senator Bong Go appealed to the public not to politicize the plight of the victims.

“‘Pag umuulan sa buong Pilipinas, meron naman talagang nababaha na lugar, hindi naman napipili ‘yung—sa totoo lang, hindi po dapat haluan ng pulitika ‘yung pagbabaha kasi ‘di naman natin alam kung saan talaga mismo bumabaha,” Go said in an interview on July 25 during the PDP Laban National Assembly 2026.

(Whenever it rains across the Philippines, certain areas will naturally flood. Truth be told, politics shouldn't be brought into flooding, because we can't predict exactly where it will hit.)

Go pointed out the growing population and ongoing developments in Mindanao.

“Matagal po ako rito sa Davao, dumadami na rin po ang population dito… maraming developments. Ibig sabihin, maraming mga bahay na tinatayo, so talagang hindi po ’yon maiiwasan,” he said.

(I’ve lived in Davao for a long time, and the population here is growing... there are a lot of developments. That means more houses are being built, so [flooding] is really unavoidable.)

“Sana huwag na pong haluan ng pulitika ‘yung pagbabaha sa Davao. Lahat ng biktima dito Pilipino po, magkakapatid tayo,” he added.

(I hope people won't play politics with the flooding in Davao. All the victims here are Filipinos—we are all brothers and sisters.)

According to a social media report by GMA Regional TV’s Jandi Esteban, the number of families affected by the July 24 flash flood in the Davao Region has reached 314 across six barangays.

Barangay Los Amigos of Davao City declared a state of calamity on July 26, stating that 80% of local residents have been impacted by the flooding.

Beyond the Davao Region, floodwaters also submerged parts of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

On Sunday, more than 4,700 families were rescued in the municipalities of Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat, and Sultan sa Barongis in Maguindanao del Sur.

TINGNAN: Mahigit 4,700 pamilya, inilikas sa kasagsagan ng matinding pagbaha sa mga bayan ng Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat at Sultan sa Barongis, Maguindanao del Sur ngayong araw, July 26. | via Garry Fuerzas/Stringer

Photo courtesy: 2nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion on Philippine… pic.twitter.com/qQqFiqO4ym

— GMA News (@gmanews) July 26, 2026

—RF, GMA News