THE 21st Davao City Council, led by Acting Vice Mayor Rodrigo “Rigo” Duterte II, has approved on third and final reading the ₱15.8-billion annual budget for the City Government of Davao for 2026, marking a 10-percent or ₱1.5-billion increase from last year’s ₱14.3-billion budget.
The budget was approved during a special session of the city council on Thursday, November 13, 2025, at the Sangguniang Panlungsod. The annual budget was filed by Davao City Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang, chairperson of the Committee on Finance, Ways and Means, and Appropriations, as proposed by the Office of Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte.
For 2026, the largest share of the budget will go to the General Fund Proper with ₱13.6 billion. This covers expenditures for personnel services, maintenance, and other operating expenses (MOOE), and capital outlays of the various departments, offices, and units of the city government. The Development Fund follows with ₱2.028 billion, while Economic Enterprises receive ₱16.8 million.
Under the operations of the economic enterprise, the management of the five public markets gets the largest share with ₱103 million, followed by the operation of the Maa and Malagos slaughterhouses with ₱45 million, the Sta. Ana Port with ₱1.8 million, and the 11 city-managed cemeteries with ₱9.7 million. The allocation for the City Economic Enterprise (CEE) is also lower compared to 2024, which received ₱160 million.
In the committee report provided to the media, the city stated that it has allocated ₱15,846,064,435 for 2026. Of this amount, the City Mayor’s Office (CMO) receives the highest allocation with ₱5 billion, or 36.69 percent of the total budget, followed by the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) with ₱1.4 billion, and the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) with ₱1.1 billion.
Other offices receiving significant allocations include the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) with ₱1 billion; City Health Office (CHO) with ₱886 million; Sangguniang Panlungsod with ₱731 million; City Engineer’s Office (CEO) with ₱618 million; City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) with ₱303 million; Public Safety and Security Office (PSSO) with ₱160 million; and the City College of Davao with ₱77 million.
The increase in the overall budget is attributed to the growth in the 2026 National Tax Allotment (NTA), which rose by about 14.86 percent or ₱1.3 billion, as well as projected increases in locally sourced revenues by about 4.6 percent or ₱230 million. The rise in NTA shares reflects the continued recovery of communities following the COVID-19 pandemic.
CMO’s budget: Where will it go?
The CMO’s ₱5-billion allocation will be distributed among its key programs and services, including general administration; administrative support; service programs; peace and order and public safety initiatives; and the LINGAP program.
Offices under the CMO also include Museo Dabawenyo, the Davao City Treatment and Rehabilitation Center for Drug Dependents, the Barangay Development Program, the Integrated Gender and Development Program, the Ancillary Service Unit, the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA), the Vices Regulation Unit (VRU), and Peace 911, among others.
However, the CMO’s allocation for 2026 is lower than in 2024, when the office received ₱5.2 billion.
Priorities of the city government for 2026
For 2026, the city government will continue funding “Duterte” initiatives and projects, adopting the theme: “Prioritizing Solutions, Responding to Basic Needs, and Innovating Ways for Service Excellence.”
Projects and initiatives will focus on poverty alleviation, infrastructure development, solid waste management, health, education and human resource development, agriculture and agribusiness, business and industry support, transportation planning and traffic management, peace and order, disaster risk reduction and mitigation, good governance through innovation and ICT, and tourism development and support services.
The budget report further states that the city government aims to enhance barangay capabilities in delivering basic goods and services, develop citizens’ skills and knowledge, and stimulate the local economy through business support.
It also highlights plans to improve or establish healthcare facilities in remote areas to ensure access to medical services, strengthen proactive measures to maintain peace and order, adopt transparent and efficient public service delivery through IT-enabled transactions, and pursue major infrastructure projects to promote equitable distribution of facilities and utilities across the city. RGP