ON APRIL 12, 2026, Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte launched the Reform Alliance for Good Governance and Accountability (RAGE) Coalition at Club Filipino in San Juan.
RAGE, according to its organizers, is a multi-sectoral alliance of political parties, civic groups, and grassroots movements pushing for accountability. The message is clear. The timing is even clearer. And it raises questions that slogans alone cannot answer.
Where was this rage WHEN Davao City received around ₱51 billion in infrastructure funds including flood control from 2020 to 2022, yet the same communities still flood after every heavy rain?
Where was this rage WHEN, in late 2023, lawmakers flagged ₱4.35 billion in questionable flood control projects in Davao Region? Out of 121 projects, about 80 had red flags. That is not an isolated problem but a system showing cracks.
Where was this rage WHEN Commission on Audit reports from 2018 to 2022 repeatedly cited Davao City for weak financial controls that included unliquidated cash advances, missing documents, and poor monitoring? These are not minor errors but clear warning signs.
Where was this rage WHEN, in 2023, Vice President Sara Duterte, as Education Secretary, faced scrutiny over ₱125 million in confidential funds spent in just 11 days?
Where was this rage WHEN lawmakers, during budget hearings in September and October 2023, asked for clear liquidation reports but got vague answers instead? Public money deserves clear accounting and not general statements.
Where was this rage WHEN the “Mary Grace Piattos” controversy raised doubts about whether some receipts tied to those funds were even real? The issue quickly became symbolic not just of questionable documentation, but of a system that struggles to prove where money actually goes.
Where was this rage WHEN the Duterte family held power in Davao City for over 30 years? That is not just a term but an era long enough to prove what good governance looks like.
Where was this rage WHEN everyday problems such as traffic, flooding, uneven development, urban congestion persisted despite decades of control? These are not complicated issues. They require execution, not messaging.
Where was this rage WHEN Filipinos had already been asking these questions long before this rebranding effort began?
Where was this rage WHEN the facts were already there?
Because what we are seeing now does not feel new. It feels familiar. We see the shift in language and notice the desperate attempt to reset an image.
And the real question remains.
Where was this rage WHEN it actually mattered?
