Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s visit to the Davao Region, a day after delivering his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA), reflects an administration that delivers services based on need rather than politics, Malaca±ang said Wednesday. Marcos spent Tuesday in Davao de Oro and Davao City, where he inspected a provincial hospital damaged by last month's magnitude 7.8 earthquake, distributed assistance to farmers and local governments, visited a government housing project, and ordered an assessment of flood-hit areas in Davao City.
According to Philippines News Agency, the visit came despite Davao being widely regarded as the political stronghold of the Duterte family, prompting Executive Secretary Ralph Recto to stress that the President's itinerary is dictated by governance, not electoral considerations. "Walang pinipiling lugar, walang pinapaboran. Kung saan kailangan ang tulong, pinupuntahan niya (He does not choose places or play favorites. Wherever help is needed, that is where he goes)," Recto said in a statement.
Recto emphasized that President Marcos's engagements are driven by public needs, and his popularity in any region is never a factor in his scheduling. He further noted that Marcos, who is serving a single six-year term under the Constitution, has no reelection campaign to consider. "After all, he is not running for reelection, he is running a country," Recto stated. "The good thing about being liberated from any political ambition is that his plans are not dictated by any electoral calculus," he added.
Recto mentioned that there is no popularity survey map that shapes the presidential itinerary, as it is based on needs. He also stated that Marcos continues to visit even areas where he did not enjoy overwhelming political support. "Kahit doon sa hindi niya balwarte, lilipad 'yan (Even in places that are not his political bailiwick, he will fly there). It is not the obligation of the people there to fall in love with the President. But it is his duty to serve them," he said.
Claims that Marcos' recent provincial visits were staged to build momentum ahead of Monday's SONA were dismissed by Recto, noting that the President has been traveling around the country since coming to power. "Lumalabas 'yan. Bilad sa araw (He goes out, exposed to the sun). Because infra inspection, farm inspection are outdoor events. This is a President who should wear a lot of sunscreen," Recto remarked.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro also defended Marcos' visit, stating that the President wasted no time returning to work after his SONA. In Davao de Oro, Marcos inspected the newly rebuilt Medicine Ward of the Davao de Oro Provincial Hospital-Montevista, damaged by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Mindanao last month. He also reviewed the hospital's implementation of the Zero Balance Billing Program, under which nearly 82,000 patients received free hospital services from July 2025 to June 2026.
The President turned over PHP148 million in financial assistance for the hospital under the Socio-Civic Project Funds and provided PHP10,000 each to 300 beneficiaries through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program. Marcos also led the distribution of nearly PHP133 million worth of agricultural machinery, equipment, and farm inputs from the Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to farmers in the region.
Additionally, he turned over PHP113 million in Socio-Civic Project Funds to Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, and Davao Occidental, benefiting 565 barangays. The President later visited the People's Ville housing project in Barangay Riverside, Calinan District, where more than 400 families have been relocated under the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development's Expanded 4PH Program.
Following recent flooding in Davao City, Marcos instructed the Department of Public Works and Highways to immediately inspect affected areas and ensure that major roads remain passable to prevent disruptions in the transport of essential goods and services. Castro assured residents that government assistance would continue regardless of political affiliations. "Sa mga Davaoe±os, umasa po kayo na hindi kayo pababayaan ni Pangulong Marcos Jr., hindi po kayo maiiwan. Ang administrasyon ay laging nariyan para kayo ay tulungan (To the people of Davao, you can be assured that President Marcos Jr. will not abandon you. You will not be left behind. The administration will always be there to help you)," she said in a Palace briefing.
