By Ivy Tejano
DAVAO CITY – Davao City First District Rep. Paolo Duterte called on Filipinos to demand transparency from the Department of Public Works and Highways, stressing that accountability should not rest solely on lawmakers.
Rep. Duterte said in a statement on Monday evening, September 15, that genuine oversight must involve the public, not just “a few people or those grandstanding in Congress.”
The Davao City lawmaker criticized the House tri-committee, which is currently investigating flood control projects, alleging that external interests influence the panel.
“I do not trust the so-called tri-committee because it is very clear they have a master pulling the strings,” Rep. Duterte said.
He encouraged citizens to directly ask DPWH about infrastructure projects in their communities, asserting that every Filipino citizen has the right to know whether government funds were spent correctly.
“We all have the right to investigate whether the projects allocated for our areas were truly implemented and completed,” the lawmaker said. “Do we need a tri-committee to know if people’s money went to actual projects?”
Rep. Duterte urged the public to request project lists from DPWH field offices and to expose irregularities involving contractors and what he called “tongressmen.”
He also defended his family, claiming that the inquiry was politically motivated and designed to discredit his father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Filipinos are not stupid. Everyone knows this inquiry is being conducted only to destroy the name of the former Chief Executive and our family,” Rep. Duterte said.
The tri-committee investigating alleged anomalies in flood control projects is determined to pursue accountability and reforms, according to Committee on Infrastructure co-chairman Rep. Terry Ridon.
Rep. Ridon said the inquiry aims to hold responsible and possibly jail those behind the irregularities, and to lay down reforms that will ensure the proper implementation of all government projects.
The Department of Public Works and Highways in Davao Region has defended using infrastructure funds in Davao City, assuring the public that allocations are properly monitored and distributed across various development needs, not just flood control.
DPWH-Davao spokesperson Dean Ortiz, in an interview with reporters earlier, acknowledged public scrutiny but clarified that the multi-billion-peso budget for the city’s first congressional district from 2020 to 2022 supported a wide range of projects.
He emphasized that the funding was not concentrated on flood control systems, contrary to claims raised in recent inquiries.
Based on records from the Davao City District Engineering Office, the first district, represented by Rep. Duterte, received P49.8 billion in infrastructure funds during the three years.
The allocation covered 710 projects, including major undertakings such as the Davao Coastal Road, which received P15.3 billion, the Maa-Magtuod Flyover with P2 billion, and the Ulas Viaduct with P2.7 billion.
Ortiz noted that only P8 billion of the district’s 2020–2022 budget went to flood control.
From 2016 to 2022, the first district was allotted P68.6 billion for 1,221 projects, with just 206 of those—amounting to P10.5 billion—earmarked for flood management, a relatively small portion compared to other infrastructure works.
He highlighted that the Davao Coastal Road and Maa-Magtuod Flyover remain among the city’s most significant ongoing projects, designed to improve mobility and address broader infrastructure challenges.
According to Ortiz, the flyover is already 82.5 percent complete and is expected to be finished by the first quarter of 2026.
DPWH-11 reiterated that all infrastructure projects in Davao City, including bypass roads, bridges, and public facilities, undergo strict supervision, with particular attention to flood control initiatives given heightened public concern nationwide.
