FACT-CHECK: Davao City receives yearly funding from nat’l gov’t

CLAIM: Davao City did not receive national funding for four years.

RATING: FALSE

A Facebook post with an AI-generated graphic falsely claimed that Davao City did not receive national funding for four years under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Flagged content: Facebook user “Marchenkowsky B Lyn” posted the graphic that claimed Davao City had “survived” without funding allocation from the national government.

• The graphic bore a headline that read: “DAVAO CITY RECEIVED NO NATIONAL FUNDS IN 4 YEARS,” while labeling it as an “Official Declaration” under a fake, AI-generated seal.
• It also contained a composite photo of Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte alongside Marcos Jr.
• Without evidence, the graphic stated further that: “DAVAO CITY SURVIVED WITHOUT FUNDS IN 4 YEARS. WHY ARE YOU CLAIMING PROJECTS THAT WERE NOT FUNDED BY YOUR GOVERNMENT? ANG PINAKAMASAKIT AY ANG INANGKIN NIYO ANG MGA PROYEKTO NA HINDI NAMAN SA INYO. BAKIT MO INANGKIN ‘YUNG MGA GINAWA NAMIN SA DAVAO NA WALA KA NAMANG IBINIGAY NA PONDO? BBM Administration is the worst government for Davao. MABUHAY DAVAO CITY, PARA SA DAVAO.” [sic]

Our debunk: Davao City receives a yearly allocation from the National Tax Allotment (NTA) representing its share of national government revenues, and the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF), under Article X, Section 6 of the Constitution and Republic Act No. 7610 or the Local Government Code.

• The Commission on Audit reported in 2023 that Davao City received a share of P7.01 billion (under 09-DavaoCity2023_Part1-FS.xlsx>SF Performance).
• In 2024, the city received P7.44 billion from its share of internal revenues (09-DavaoCity2024_Part1-FS.xlsx>SF Performance).
• In 2025, Davao City  received P8.8 billion in NTA, according to the city treasurer’s office.
• State-owned Philippine News Agency reported on July 2 that the city was set to receive the highest NTA among local government units, at P10.1 billion, for 2027.

Rewind: Claims like this spread over social media in the past few months amid the intensifying political feud between the Dutertes of Davao and the Marcos Jr. administration.

• Supporters of the Duterte family have amplified false allegations and narratives aimed at delegitimizing Marcos Jr.’s presidency amid the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte for alleged corruption and grave threats.

Why we fact-checked this: The misleading post was anonymously tipped to PressOne.PH by a concerned citizen.

• As of writing, the post has gained over 2,800 reactions, 516 comments, and 760 shares.

Spot the fake: As political rivalries intensify ahead of the 2028 presidential elections, citizens must exercise vigilance and caution, and critically examine narratives circulating on social media.

• Make it a habit to check official government sources and records to ensure the veracity of information posted on social media. 
• Always look for sources or evidence supporting claims; if there are none, chances are the post is trying to mislead social media users.
• Always think twice and keep your emotions in check before posting and believing anything on the internet. Hurt Allauigan

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