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Davao City Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte fired back at veteran broadcast journalist Korina Sanchez-Roxas after she described some parts of Davao as appearing largely unchanged from the time she covered the area decades ago.
Sanchez made the observation during a discussion with Willard Cheng on Bilyonaryo News Channel about development spending in Mindanao and why some communities continue to face development challenges.
Recalling one of her visits to Davao, Sanchez said she was surprised by what she saw.
“Pumunta nga ako ng Davao eh. Sabi ko, ‘Ito na ba yun? Bakit parang ano… ako lang po ito ah… parang sinauna pa rin.’ Kasi nagre-reporter na ako noong 80’s, 90’s doon.
“Parang ganoon pa rin kung hindi lang dahil sa ilang mga hub because of Ayala or because of Megaworld, ganyan.
“Hindi mo makikita sa iba pang mga lugar ang progreso. Ganoon pa rin, napag-iwanan,” Sanchez said.
Her comments drew differing reactions online, with some agreeing with her observation while others questioned her characterization of development in Davao.
Duterte responded through a Facebook post, arguing that development should not be measured solely by commercial establishments, high-rise buildings, or comparisons with areas such as Makati and Bonifacio Global City.
“Madam Korina Sanchez-Roxas, eto sa akin din lang opinyon to ha.
“Kung ang tingin mo sa progreso ay puro sosyalan, high-rise buildings, malls at party-party, dyan ka na lang sa sosyalan ninyo,” Duterte wrote.
The congressman said he considers government services—including emergency response, peace and order, health services, disaster response, roads, and other basic services—as important measures of development.
“Dito sa Davao, ang pinag-uusapan namin ay kung gumagana ang gobyerno para sa ordinaryong tao—911, emergency response, peace and order, health services, disaster response, roads and basic public services.
“Hindi kailangang maging kopya ng Makati o BGC ang Davao para masabing umuunlad. At hindi rin nasusukat ang progreso ng isang lungsod sa dami ng Ayala o Megaworld projects,” he added.
Duterte also challenged Sanchez’s use of the term “napag-iwanan” and cited Davao City’s economy in defending the city’s development.
“NAPAG-IWANAN? Hangover ka pa ata sa last champagne party niyo ah.
“FYI lang madam, ang ekonomiya ng Davao City ang pinakamalaking ekonomiya sa Mindanao at Visayas at 601.68 billion pesos,” he wrote.
Official Philippine Statistics Authority data show that Davao City had a GDP of ₱574.72 billion at constant 2018 prices in 2024, growing 7.9 percent from the previous year. The PSA also ranked Davao City fifth among the country’s highly urbanized cities in terms of share of national GDP that year.
Duterte continued by saying Sanchez was free to criticize the city but maintained that development should be assessed through public services and economic opportunities.
“Kung gusto mong punahin ang Davao, go ahead. Pero sana ang sukatan ay serbisyo sa tao, hindi kung gaano karaming party ang nadaluhan o kung gaano karaming sosyal na establishment ang nakita mo.
“Dito sa Davao, magandang ekonomiya at trabaho ang hanap namin—not applause from Manila.”
He then turned his criticism personal, mentioning Sanchez-Roxas’ husband, former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas.
“Mas mahalaga sa amin ang opinyon ng aming kapwa Dabawenyo at hindi ng mga ipokritang socialite na mga kakilala niyo…
“KUMUSTA NA BA IMUNG BANA? UNSA GANI IYANG NABUHAT? GA INUM BA GIHAPON SIYA SA PLATO? KALIMOT KO SA NGALAN SORRY MADAM,” Duterte wrote.
The Bisaya portion roughly asks how her husband is doing, what he had done, and whether he still “drinks from a plate,” before Duterte said he had forgotten his name.
The exchange has since added to the online discussion over how development should be measured—whether through visible commercial and urban transformation, economic indicators, public services, or conditions experienced by communities themselves.
