Trendpills
MANILA, Philippines – Hundreds of thousands of people have flooded the streets of Manila for a multi-day demonstration, demanding government accountability over a massive corruption scandal involving critical flood-control infrastructure. The protests, among the largest in recent months, were called by various civil society and religious groups, including the influential Iglesia ni Cristo church, to voice public outrage.
The scandal came to national attention after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. himself revealed its scale during his State of the Nation address in July. Subsequent investigations and Senate hearings have uncovered a systemic scheme where lawmakers and public works officials allegedly received bribes from construction firms. This resulted in thousands of flood defense projects across the typhoon-battered nation being built with substandard materials, left incomplete, or never constructed at all—so-called "ghost projects." According to the Department of Finance, the scheme may have involved the loss of up to 82 billion pesos ($1.4 billion) in state funds.
The demonstrations reflect growing public fury in a country that experiences an average of 20 typhoons annually. Protesters are demanding a thorough and impartial investigation into the wrongdoings. Many are calling for the arrest of those involved and the return of the stolen funds. The widespread outrage has spurred a series of protests since the scandal was exposed following weeks of deadly flooding earlier in the year.
In response to the public pressure, President Marcos has vowed to take action, stating that dozens of officials implicated in the corruption would be held accountable. Organizers of the rally stated their movement is peaceful and focused on seeking justice for all Filipinos affected by the alleged graft. The demonstrations highlight deep-seated issues of corruption and the urgent need for transparency, especially as climate-driven storms intensify challenges for disaster preparedness and governance in the archipelago. The ongoing protests underscore a significant challenge for the Marcos administration as it faces demands for a transparent and constitutional investigation into the far-reaching scandal.
