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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Baste should ask Pulong how much flood control funds he received, says solon

Baste should ask Pulong how much flood control funds he received, says solon

Published Aug 28, 2025 06:14 pm

At A Glance

  • Manila 6th district Rep. Bienvenido "Benny" Abante Jr. has advised Acting Davao City Mayor Sebastian "Baste" Duterte to ask just how much flood control project funds his brother, Davao City 1st district Rep. Paolo "Pulong" Duterte, received in the past.
Davao City 1st district Rep. Paolo "Pulong" Duterte (left), Manila 6th district Rep. Bienvenido "Benny" Abante Jr. (Facebook)
Davao City 1st district Rep. Paolo "Pulong" Duterte (left), Manila 6th district Rep. Bienvenido "Benny" Abante Jr. (Facebook)


Manila 6th district Rep. Bienvenido "Benny" Abante Jr. has advised Acting Davao City Mayor Sebastian "Baste" Duterte to ask just how much flood control project funds his brother, Davao City 1st district Rep. Paolo "Pulong" Duterte, received in the past.
Abante had this to say after Mayor Duterte reportedly called the House of Representatives' upcoming investigation on the flood control projects mess a mere "PR (public relations) stunt".
"Ang suggestion ko kay Mayor Baste, tanungin niya yung kanyang kapatid na congressman, magkano ba ang pondong nakuha ni Congressman Pulong noong congressman siya, noong panahon ng kanyang father," Abante said in press conference Thursday, Aug 28.
(My suggestion to Mayor Baste is to ask his brother, the congressman, how much funding Congressman Pulong received when he was a congressman during their father's administration.)
Rep. Pulong is on his third and final term as a House member. His first term covered the years 2019 to 2022, which was the final three year's of his father, former president Rodrigo Duterte's term in Malacañang.
Mayor Duterte had reportedly complained about the continued heavy flooding in Davao. He has criticized President Marcos--their father's direct successor--over it.
"Magkano po yung nakuha? I-reveal niya (Rep. Duterte) kung magkano, kung saan ginamit ang pondong yan. Kung papano ginamit yan. Kung ilang bilyon ang napunta sa flood control project, at kung malaki pa ang baha sa Davao," Abante said.
(How much was received? He should reveal the amount, where the funds were used, how they were used, how many billions went to the flood control project, and whether flooding in Davao is still severe.)
"Kinakailangan tanungin niya yung kanyang kapatid. Kung talagang PR stunt to, patunayan niya (He needs to ask his brother. If this is really just a PR stunt, he should prove it)," added the quad-committee (quad-comm) overall chairman.
'Every peso allocated was implemented'
Rep. Duterte responded to Abante's remarks in a statement late Thursday.
"On Benny Abante’s challenge to Mayor Baste Duterte regarding the flood control projects in Davao City, let me be clear, all projects allocated to my district are properly implemented and completed," the third-termer said.
"If he really wants to know the exact figures, I am directing DPWH District and Regional Offices to provide him the official data and amounts," Rep. Duterte said.
"Besides, do not mind the floods in Davao, I can guarantee everybody that every peso allocated was implemented," he said.
Rep. Duterte then took a shot at Abante. "Wala naman nagbabagsakan na mga flood control projects dito, wala din mga ghost projects dito. Kung may baha man dito, humuhupa din agad hindi kagaya nga mga swimming pool niyo dyan sa lugar ninyo."
(There aren’t any flood control projects collapsing here, nor are there any ghost projects. And if there’s flooding here, it subsides quickly—unlike the swimming pools you have over there in your area.)
Last year, the DPWH confirmed that P51 billion was allocated to infrastructure projects in the first district of Davao City from 2020 to 2022.
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