Vice President Sara Duterte (left), Davao City 1st district Rep. Paolo Duterte (Facebook)

Two ranking congressmen have backed Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero's statement wherein he questioned the Duterte administration’s response--or lack thereof--to the flood problem. 

The two solons are "Young Guns" members Deputy Majority Leader Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre and Assistant Minority Leader 1-Rider Party-list Rep. Rodge Gutierrez. 

“Tama si Senate President Chiz Escudero. Ang tagal niyo nang nakaupo at namumuno diyan, di niyo nasolusyonan ang problema ng pagbaha sa inyong lugar,” Acidre said. 

(Senate President Chiz Escudero is right. You were in power and in a leadership position for years, and yet you failed to solve the flooding problem in your city.) 

He was referring to the statement of Escudero, who said, “What is perplexing is her (Vice President Sara Duterte) questioning the absence of a flood masterplan two years into the administration of PBBM (President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.) after the previous administration had six years to develop one, but was unable to do so.” 

“The Vice President, like every Filipino, has the right to point out the problems confronting our countrymen. Unlike ordinary citizens, however, she can suggest or do something tangible about them using her position, resources, and platform,” Escudero added. 

Acidre said the Dutertes should have attended to the flooding problem of Davao City and neighboring areas during their long years in office as national and local officials. 

“Anim na taon na nakaupo si PRRD (former President Duterte) sa Malacañang. Matagal siyang nanungkulan bilang mayor ng Davao City, nagpalit-palitan sila ng mga anak niya. Nanungkulan din siya at anak niya bilang congressman. Eh dapat naayos nila ang problema sa baha sa lugar nila,” he said. 

For his part, Gutierrez said his House colleague, Davao City 1st district Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte would be in the best position to explain to his constituents where the district's flood control funds were used. 

“May P51-billion funds na naibigay sa distrito ni Cong Pulong sa loob ng tatlong taon, anong nangyari? Napakalaking amount po ito. For context, P244.6-billion po ang pondo for flood control in 2024. Para sa buong bansa na po iyon," Gutierrez noted. 

(A P51-billion fund was given to Cong Pulong's district in a span of three years, what happened? This is a huge amount. For context, the flood control budget was worth P244.6 billion in 2024. And that was for the entire country.) 

He said that based on news reports quoting Duterte administration public works and highways secretary and now Senator Mark Villar, the Duterte government awarded 1,833 projects over a two-year span, between July 2016 and July 2018. This equates to 60 projects daily. 

These included flood control systems, roads, bridges, schools, irrigation, power and water facilities. 

“Sumunod po ba ito sa isang Flood Control Masterplan? Kung hindi nakasama diyan ang Davao City at iba pang parte ng Mindanao, dapat sila po siguro ang magpaliwanag sa mga kababayan nating Davaoeño at Mindanaoan,” Gutierrez said. 

(Did this follow a Flood Control Masterplan? If Davao City and other parts of Mindanao was excluded, then they should be the ones who should explain it to our countrymen in Davao and Mindanao. ) 

Vice President Duterte and Rep. Duterte's father, Rodrigo Duterte, served as Philippine president from 2016 to 2022.