MANILA, Philippines — In another sharp escalation of the ongoing political divide between the current administration and the Duterte political family, Malacañang fired back at criticisms targeting the President’s legislative record. Palace press officer Claire Castro described Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte as someone “living in darkness and fake news.”
The pointed executive response was triggered after the Davao lawmaker publicly challenged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to present actual, visible, and tangible accomplishments ahead of his upcoming State of the Nation Address (SONA).
The verbal skirmish centers on how the current administration’s performance should be measured. Representative Duterte took to social media to argue that a leader’s success cannot be validated by inside political applause, drawing a defensive line to protect ordinary citizens:
[ THE RIVAL EXECUTIVE PERFORMANCE NARRATIVES ]
│
┌───────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────────┐
▼ ▼
[ DUTERTE'S CRITIQUE ] [ THE PALACE REBUTTAL ]
• **The Challenge:** Challenged President Marcos Jr. to list • **The Retort:** Castro stated that Duterte’s claims make it look
concrete benefits that directly reach everyday households. like the lawmaker "is not updated, does not read, and does
• **The Standard:** Argued success should not be measured by not watch the news."
standing ovations at the Batasang Pambansa, but by the ordinary • **The Verdict:** The Palace official described the lawmaker's
Filipinos still waiting on campaign promises. apparent lack of baseline structural awareness as "pitiful."
To counter the lawmaker’s narrative of stagnation, Castro detailed a series of core administrative rollouts and state welfare expansions intended to directly lower household burdens.
[ SPECIFIC ADMIN METRICS CITED ]
│
┌───────────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────────────┐
▼ ▼ ▼
[ HEALTHCARE FINANCES ] [ TRANSPORT LOGISTICS ] [ URBAN MASS TRANSIT ]
• **Zero-Balance Billing:** Ensuring • **Dalian Fleet Activation:** • **Mass Transit Upgrades:** Citing
marginalized patients walk out of Deploying the long-idled, Chinese- the continuous layout and operation of
state hospitals with fully settled made Dalian train sets to expand vital urban rail configurations to
medical and surgical balances. commuter capacity across Metro Manila. improve daily worker transit.
The bitter back-and-forth marks the latest chapter in a long series of structural and personal clashes between Malacañang and Representative Duterte over national resource allocation.
| Historical Clash Timeline | Original Dispute Catalyst | Core Argumentation & Outcome |
| May 25, 2026 | Representative Duterte alleged Davao City received “zero support” under Marcos. | Castro and the DBM debunked the claim, proving ₱7.85 billion was directly allocated for localized infrastructure and tax allotments. |
| March 31, 2026 | Duterte labeled the administration “weak” and plagued by a “legacy of corruption.” | Castro fired back, reminding the lawmaker of historical multi-billion peso pandemic supply procurement controversies under the previous term. |
| December 2025 | Duterte requested House authorization for an extended multi-month vacation to 16 countries. | The Palace publicly urged the representative to explain to his home constituents why he was taking a prolonged personal leave while holding public office. |
The administration emphasized that tracking governance requires looking at actual data rather than firing emotional salvos online. With the political climate heating up as the country moves closer to the midyear legislative deadlines, Malacañang stated that its offices will remain focused on executing policy mandates rather than being distracted by localized political noise. Meanwhile, the exchange sets a highly contentious tone for the upcoming legislative sessions, as both political factions continue to reshape public opinion regarding the true legacy of the current executive term.