VICE President Sara Duterte said that the president of a country should have control over the national budget to prevent corruption in government projects, following the issue of anomalous flood control projects in the Philippines.
“Dapat kung ano yung lumalabas sa budgeting system from the Regional Development Council, paakyat sa National Development Council, paakyat sa Cabinet level at kung ano yung napag-usapan based on development plans, yun ang nasasunod. Dapat alam talaga ng Pangulo kung ano yung laman ng budget,” she said during a media interview on August 28, 2025, at The Hague, Netherlands.
(What comes out in the budgeting system from the Regional Development Council, up to the National Development Council, and then to the Cabinet level, and what has been discussed based on development plans, that’s what should be followed. The President should really know what’s in the budget.)
Duterte said that the president should be aware of what is happening from the bottom up and should not allow legislators to interfere in the budgeting of projects.
She then advised the current administration to follow her example by visiting overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and the Filipino communities around the world. She emphasized that OFWs are the best consultants, as they have lived in the Philippines, experienced life in various countries, worked abroad, and gained firsthand knowledge of global best practices.
Duterte said they asked Filipino communities abroad what the Philippine government should do, what the people’s dream for the country is, and what best practices from countries like Kuwait, Australia, and the Netherlands could realistically be applied in the Philippines.
However, while sharing her views, Sara in jest said that she feels like she is giving free advice to the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., and that she no longer wants to offer it for free.
She cited how, in Davao City, they started addressing the flooding problem by crafting a plan, hiring international experts, and creating IM4Davao (Infrastructure Modernization for Davao). This plan includes flood control and drainage projects, as the city’s drainage system is outdated and urbanization is rapidly increasing.
Duterte shared that from the comprehensive master plan, they also developed a smaller, more specific plan detailing the actions needed to control flooding and improve Davao City’s drainage system.
However, she said that even though they had a plan, the national government, through the Department of Public Works and Highways, was not interested in it and refused to fund the project.
In an earlier interview, the vice president emphasized that the Filipino people should not only focus on flood control projects but also pay attention to other government programs.
This statement came after she revealed that, during her time as Education Secretary, the budget for the school building program was allegedly taken by members of the House of Representatives.
To recall, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., in his fourth State of the Nation Address (Sona) on July 28, 2025, ordered an investigation into the P350 billion worth of flood control projects across the country.
Marcos personally inspected several multi-million peso flood control projects in various parts of the country, including in Bulacan province. He stated that he was “very angry” and would determine whether the officials and contractors involved would be charged with non-bailable crimes for economic sabotage. RGP