FACT CHECK: Post falsely claiming Davao City railway deal uses image of fictional character

Claim: Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte signed a historic contract with a Japanese official that would bring a railway or subway system to the city.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: A photo posted on Facebook by Tau Awam was uploaded on May 1, claiming that Davao City will soon have its own railway system following the signing of a contract “for the feasibility study for the historic Davao City subway.”

The image shows Duterte shaking hands with an alleged Japanese official, with text superimposed on it reading, “Davao City Signs Historic Railway Contract.” It identifies the supposed official as “Japanese Governor of Gensokyo, Yukari Yakumo.”

The post’s comments section showed many social media users reacting with approval and excitement over the supposed news. 

As of writing, the post has garnered over 5,300 reactions, 395 comments, and 509 shares. 

The facts: No railway contract for Davao City was signed between Duterte and a Japanese official in 2026. No official report or statement from the city’s official news and social media channels supports this.

The image of Duterte has been altered. The original photo was taken in July 2025, showing Duterte with Okinawa Vice Governor Oshiro Hajime.

In the edited image, the supposed “Japanese Governor of Gensokyo, Yukari Yakumo” is not a real government official. The image appears to depict a cosplayer dressed as the fictional character Yukari Yakumo from the Touhou Project video game series. 

She is depicted as a youkai, a supernatural being, who resides in Gensokyo, a fictional realm.

Mindanao Railway Project: While Davao City does not have a railway system, the proposed Mindanao Railway Project includes links to the city, but it is not currently under construction. The project remains unfunded in the 2026 national budget and has not progressed beyond feasibility studies, including one undertaken by the Asian Development Bank.

The Department of Transportation (DoTr) earlier said that it is exploring a public-private partnership arrangement for the project following the cancellation of a China-backed loan in 2023.

Greenlit under former president Rodrigo Duterte’s term, the Mindanao Railway Project is a proposed 1,544-kilometer railway system across Mindanao. This has been a constant presidential promise since 1936, yet it remains a dream. 

Originally planned to begin construction in 2017 and partially open by 2022, the project has faced delays due to funding issues and design changes. (READ: [The Slingshot] Mindanao railway, na-Duterte – why?)

Despite funding uncertainties, the DOTr has begun property acquisition for the railway’s first phase, including relocating 178 families. Initial operations are targeted to start by 2031, nearly a decade past its original schedule. – Cyril Bocar/Rappler.com

Efren Cyril Bocar is a journalist from Llorente, Eastern Samar who graduated with a degree in English Language Studies at the Visayas State University. Cyril is also a graduate of the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship of Rappler for 2024. 

Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.