Davao City Flood Control Projects Under Budget Scrutiny
Despite a massive P51 billion budget allocated for infrastructure, including flood control projects, Davao City continues to experience flooding problems. This situation has drawn attention from Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante, who raised concerns about the effectiveness of the funds spent.
Abante highlighted that the P51 billion allocation was granted during the latter part of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s term. “I think he received P51 billion in the three years that he was a congressman during his father’s time,” Abante said, referring to Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte.
Budget Origins and Official Confirmation
Officials confirmed that the P51 billion budget for Rep. Duterte’s district was based on the General Appropriations Act from 2020 to 2022. This substantial investment was intended to address critical infrastructure needs, especially flood control, yet flooding remains a persistent issue.
Flooding Issues Persist Despite Claims
In response to Rep. Paolo Duterte’s claim that no flood control project failures have been observed in Davao City, Abante acknowledged the statement but shared a different perspective. “Well, that is very good, no? But I was told that there are about 250 areas in Davao City that actually were flooded. I don’t know if the flood immediately subsides but it is flooded,” he said.
Despite these concerns, Abante clarified he is not accusing his colleague of wrongdoing. “I am not accusing him of anything. I have never accused him of any ghost project. I have never accused him of any substandard project,” he emphasized.
Criticism of Public Relations Claims
Abante also criticized Davao City Acting Mayor Sebastian Duterte’s dismissal of the Marcos administration’s investigation into flood control anomalies as merely a “PR stunt.” The Manila lawmaker urged the acting mayor to engage with his brother to clarify the utilization of the significant flood control budget.
“I said, why don’t you talk to your brother who received that much amount of money to find out what happened to the flood control projects that he had. That’s P51 billion,” Abante remarked.
House Investigation to Include Davao City Flood Projects
The House of Representatives is set to begin a tri-committee investigation into flood control projects across Mindanao, including Davao City, starting Tuesday. This probe aims to audit the allocations and implementation of flood control funds during the Duterte administration.
Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, chairperson of the public accounts panel, noted that the inquiry will specifically examine the flood control projects within the congressional district of Rep. Paolo Duterte and other affected areas.
For more news and updates on Davao City flood control projects, visit Filipinokami.com.
