The Department of Public Works and Highways-Davao (DPWH-11) on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, said only P8 billion of the funds for the first district of Davao City during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte was allocated for flood control projects.

During a joint congressional hearing on the alleged irregularities in flood control projects in the country, Manila Third District Rep. Joel Chua confirmed with a DPWH official the existence of an online article that claimed that P51 billion was allocated to Davao City’s First District between 2020 and 2022.

Based on documents obtained by GMA Regional TV One Mindanao from the report book of the DPWH District Engineering Office, the actual allocation for the city’s First District during this period amounted to P49.8 billion.

DPWH-11 said the allocation was utilized for 710 infrastructure projects with a significant share spent on big ticket projects.

Only P8 billion was allocated for flood control projects.

“So, kaning mga big ticket projects nga gi-implement sa First District for the Davao City Coastal Road, for 2020 to 2022, duna kitay nadawat nga P15.3 billion allocated for it for three years para sa kadtong nagpadayong project. And then, for Maa-Magtuod (flyover), P2 billion and for the (Ulas) Viaduct, that’s P2.7B. So gawas pa niini, ang atong mga proyekto sama sa mga public buildings, katong mga bypasses nato nga ginabuhat,” DPWH-11 Spokesperson, Dean Ortiz, said.

DPWH-11 added that from 2016 to 2022, a total of P68.6 billion was allotted for 1,221 infrastructure projects in the city’s First District.

“So out of that ang flood control was 206, amounting to P10.5 billion. So, relatively, gamay lang ang share sa flood control projects out of other infra projects nga atoang gina-implement for that period,” Ortiz added.

In a statement, Davao City First District Rep. Paolo Duterte said Davaoeños and Mindanaoans deserve the truth about the alleged anomalous flood control projects across the country.

“Kami mga Davaoeños ay taxpayers din. Dili lang Luzon, dili lang Metro Manila ang nagabayad og buhis. Apil mi tanan dinhi sa Mindanao. Our money is part of the same national budget. We deserve the truth about these so-called flood control projects that are not only happening in Luzon but in some other parts of the country as well,” Duterte said.

Duterte said if the alleged ghost projects existed, these should be presented to the public since these involved taxpayers’ money.

He added that the issue should not be twisted or blamed on their family.

“Kung tinuod nga ghost projects ni sila, ipakita natin sa publiko. Pera namin ‘yan. Pera ng bawat Pilipino. Pera ng Dabawenyo. Wag niyong baliktarin ang istorya at ihulog sa aming pamilya para lang maluwas ang inyong kaugalingong baho,” Duterte added.

He said their family has been attacked constantly for three years, which caused trauma to their children.

“Ganun pa man, alam ng tao ang ginagawa namin at kaya naming gawin… hindi kami perpekto pero kung may kamali-an man kami, hindi namin ito tatakpan at ito ay aming haharapin dahil alam namin na ang aming ginagawa ay para sa mahal naming bayan ng Pilipinas,” Duterte said.

“Kung imbestigasyon man ang ginagawa ng infra comm ngayon, do it correctly and fairly. The people deserve the truth… but if it is another effort to ruin our family, file the cases and spare the taxpayers’ money from this circus,” he added.

Duterte made a challenge to present the actual budget and show real projects.

“Let us all demand the truth, backed by evidence. Hindi na panahon ng drama, diversion, ug mga pasangil. The Filipino people, including us Davaoeños, will no longer accept excuses. We demand nothing less than the whole truth—and accountability for every peso stolen from the people,” he said.