The document, titled “FY 2025 DPWH Budget by DEO/LD Summary,” was provided to Leviste by the late DPWH Undersecretary Catalina Cabral and shows district-level allocations based on the TOTAL BUDGET column of the enacted GAA, not merely proposed or restored items.
According to the file, Region 11's total DPWH budget for 2025 amounts to ₱43.251 billion, covering national roads, flood control, buildings, and other infrastructure projects implemented through district engineering offices.
Based on the FY 2025 GAA Total Budget figures (amounts converted from thousands to millions of pesos), the largest allocations in Region XI went to the following districts:
1. Davao del Norte 2nd District – Rep. Alan R. Dujali/Jose Manuel Lagdameo
₱9,312.3 million (9.3 billion)
2. Davao del Sur Lone District – Rep. John Tracy F. Cagas
₱7,596.5 million (7.5 billion)
3. Davao de Oro 1st District – Rep. Maria Carmen S. Zamora
₱6,627.6 million (6.6 billion)
4. Davao City 2nd District - Rep. Vincent J. Garcia
₱4,634.6 million (4.6 billion)
5. Davao Oriental 2nd District – Rep. Cheeno Miguel D. Almario
₱4,582.0 million (4.5 billion)
6. Davao Oriental 1st District – Rep. Nelson L. Dayanghirang
₱4,575.1 million (4.5 billion)
At the lower end of the Region XI list were:
• Davao City 1st District – Rep. Paolo Z. Duterte (₱640.2M)
• Davao Occidental Lone District – Rep. Claude P. Bautista (₱890.0M)
• Davao City 3rd District – Rep. Isidro T. Ungab (₱1,225.1M or 1.2 billion)
Leviste clarified that while the table lists the names of district representatives, lawmakers are not the proponents of the entire DPWH budget.
Undersecretary Cabral had explained that district “allocables” nationwide totaled about ₱401.3 billion, while the much larger share of DPWH funding came from “outside allocable” sources, including agency programs and amendments introduced during the House, Senate, and bicameral stages.
“The total budget reflects DPWH project implementation in a district, not money given to a congressman,” Leviste said, adding that the document was released to provide the public with a clearer understanding of how infrastructure funds are distributed.
Political alignment noted
Still, an examination of the Region XI totals shows that some of the largest district budgets are held by lawmakers aligned with the House majority during the Marcos Jr. administration, including allies of then House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Analysts note that districts with strong ties to House leadership and key committees have historically enjoyed smoother passage of large infrastructure line items, although no allegation of impropriety is implied by the figures alone.
Leviste said he shared the document with media organizations to encourage informed public discussion on infrastructure spending and to prevent confusion between district-wide project funding and personal control by lawmakers.
The disclosure comes amid growing national scrutiny of DPWH budgets, as lawmakers and watchdogs push for greater transparency in how multi-billion-peso infrastructure funds are planned and implemented.