Davao City First District Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte unveiled his 2025 accomplishment report on December 27, highlighting a year marked by expanded medical aid, vital infrastructure progress, and robust disaster response efforts. The report details assistance extended to more than 25,000 residents, landmark healthcare initiatives, and several legislative proposals, underscoring Duterte’s continual focus on public service and community development during his third term.
Medical Assistance Reaches Tens of Thousands
The centerpiece of Duterte’s 2025 initiatives remains comprehensive medical support for vulnerable constituents. According to the report, a total of 25,487 individuals received medical assistance throughout the year. This includes 4,554 patients treated in private hospitals and 19,893 who underwent care at the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), where Duterte originally established a medical assistance desk in 2019.
Among those aided are 1,282 cancer patients, 1,040 senior citizens, and 1,538 outpatients from remote barangays, often through medical missions. These missions, such as the notable Pulong-Pulong ni Pulong Medical Mission on August 14, 2025, provided free checkups, medicines, and food packs to over 1,000 Indigenous Peoples (IPs), including Lumad, Kagan, and Tausog communities during the Kadayawan Festival.
Additionally, 159 participants received bloodletting services as part of outreach programs, aligned with health promotion activities like Zumba sessions involving 7,177 participants and the PPP Seniors and Persons with Disabilities Fun Run attracting 918 attendees. These programs aim to bolster wellness and community engagement.
Disaster Relief and Community Support Efforts
Duterte’s report also highlights extensive disaster response distribution, critical in a region frequently hit by calamities. Relief efforts included the delivery of 653 wheelchairs, 163 tents, and 46,206 packs of porridge and snacks. To aid daily life after disasters, beneficiaries received 2,870 solar lights, 54 motorcycles, and a patient transport van to improve mobility and healthcare access in affected barangays such as Agdao, Leon Garcia, and San Isidro.
These provisions offer vital lifelines to fire and flood victims, providing nourishment, shelter, and improved transportation to support recovery and rebuilding efforts.
Infrastructure Projects On Track
Progress continues on two key infrastructure initiatives shaping Davao’s urban and economic landscape. The ongoing Davao Coastal Road Project aims to boost connectivity and commerce along the city’s waterfront, while the 818-meter Maa-Magtuod Flyover Project promises to ease traffic congestion and shorten commute times in the 1st District. Both projects are implemented in coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and local government units, reflecting Duterte’s commitment to improving everyday life for daily wage earners and local vendors.
Legislative Agenda Targets Social Welfare and Governance
Beyond service delivery, Duterte’s legislative work in the House of Representatives underscores an active congressional role. He has authored several bills, including measures on:
- Mandatory drug testing for public officials
- Free annual medical check-ups for citizens
- Regulation of single-use plastics
- Expansion of digital skills training and community development programs
- Media protection laws
He also co-authored the bill creating the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and sponsored House Resolution No. 488, which calls for a thorough inquiry into alleged irregularities in the 2025 national budget.
Local Voices Reflect Impact
The tangible benefits of Duterte’s initiatives resonate visibly among beneficiaries. Fhebelyn A. Mohamad, a 50-year-old member of the Kagan tribe, praised the medical missions for removing barriers to healthcare access: “Many of us tend to put off medical checkups. We must show up now that it’s ready and free.” Another beneficiary, Geraldine Galaw, expressed gratitude after receiving a free eye specialist consultation to address longstanding vision problems.
Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte II emphasized the importance of extending care to marginalized segments: “The program is designed to ensure Lumad communities have quick and easy access to medical care.”
Rep. Paolo Duterte himself lauded volunteer doctors from multiple hospitals across Mindanao for their invaluable support, stating, “Their selfless contribution has made this mission a success.”
Political and Fiscal Scrutiny
Despite these positive reports, Duterte’s work has attracted critical attention. Opposition figures, notably ACT Teachers Partylist Representative Antonio Tinio, have flagged potential irregularities in around 80 infrastructure projects in Davao City worth an estimated ₱4.35 billion. Concerns focus on missing awarding details and projects absent from official budget documents. Parallel probes into DPWH allocations, including an alleged ₱51 billion fund distribution to the 1st District between 2019 and 2022, underscore calls for transparency on fund utilization.
These debates reflect broader national conversations on accountability in public spending, as well as heightened scrutiny of congressional project management.
Conclusion: A Year of Tangible Services Amid Challenges
Rep. Paolo Duterte’s 2025 accomplishment report paints a picture of active constituent service and development within Davao City’s 1st District. Through expansive medical assistance, strategic infrastructure investments, and legislative advocacy, Duterte has worked to address pressing local needs. While scrutiny into budgetary transparency remains, the extensive delivery of aid and health programs has produced measurable societal gains, particularly for low-income families, senior citizens, and Indigenous communities.
As Duterte enters his third term, his report signals a continued political and developmental focus on blending direct community outreach with legislative efforts aimed at strengthening governance and public welfare in the Davao region.
