Thousands in the Philippines protest, calling for President Marcos to resign amid corruption allegations.
In a bold demonstration of civic duty and determination, thousands of Filipinos recently converged on Manila to protest rampant government corruption linked to flood-control infrastructure spending. This mobilization reflects a deep-seated frustration with a perceived lack of accountability among public officials, particularly as monsoon seasons expose the dire consequences of ineffective governance. With powerful politicians embroiled in scandal, citizens are demanding increased transparency and change from their leaders.
Manila, Philippines – Amid rising public outrage, thousands have gathered in the Philippine capital to protest against government corruption surrounding flood-control infrastructure. Organized by the Kilusang Bayan Kontra-Kurakot, or the People’s Movement Against Corruption (KBKK), the march began at Luneta National Park on Sunday, with demonstrators making their way toward the presidential palace.
The protest serves as a culmination of anger surrounding the so-called “Trillion-Peso” scandal, which alleges that influential lawmakers have embezzled billions of pesos in bribes for contracts on flood-control projects that were either flawed or never completed. This outcry has intensified following the devastation caused by two recent typhoons, resulting in over 250 fatalities and considerable damage to communities across the nation.
As a result of the unfolding scandal, two cabinet ministers have resigned, and accusations against former lawmaker Zaldy Co have further complicated the political landscape. Co has claimed that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. instructed him to insert .7 billion into the budget for dubious public works when he was head of the appropriations committee—a claim that the president has categorically denied.
Among the crowd at Sunday’s protest was Matt Wovi Villanueva, a 21-year-old student who had previously participated in a similar demonstration in September. Villanueva expressed a heightened sense of urgency among protesters: “Compared to September, we have more reasons to go back to the streets now,” he stated, emphasizing the need for accountability from both Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte.
Duterte, the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, faces her own allegations regarding the misuse of government funds. In a concurrent demonstration, mainstream opposition groups, with backing from the Catholic Church, held a separate “Trillion Peso March” along historic EDSA Avenue, calling for Duterte’s resignation while awaiting further evidence against Marcos.
Earlier claims made by Co alleged that Marcos received over 50 billion pesos (2 million) in kickbacks from infrastructure projects since 2022 and ordered suspicious budget insertions, including 100 billion pesos (.7 billion) allocated to “ghost projects.” Co is also accused of misappropriating funds and is currently a fugitive believed to be in Japan.
In response to the growing discontent, Marcos has attempted to affirm his innocence. “Anyone can go online and make all kinds of claims,” he remarked, insisting that Co should return home for his assertions to bear weight. However, critics within the KBKK, such as Raymond Palatino of the New Patriotic Alliance (Bayan), attribute a significant share of responsibility for the corruption to the president himself. “He feigns surprise over the extent of corruption,” Palatino argued, emphasizing that Marcos played a direct role in drafting and implementing the budget marred by fraudulent practices.
Looking ahead, Palatino advocates for both Marcos and Duterte to resign, proposing the establishment of a civilian-led transition council to steer the nation toward political renewal. In contrast, government representatives have dubbed these calls for resignation unconstitutional and the expressions of vested interests.
In July, during his state of the nation address, Marcos acknowledged the alarming prevalence of corruption and initiated the formation of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to investigate implicated officials. This commission is currently looking into about 9,855 flood-control projects valued at over 545 billion pesos ( billion) that may be tied to corruption allegations, a situation that has drawn attention from both the Senate and House, which are conducting their own hearings.
Political analysts are closely monitoring the situation, with Professor Sol Iglesias of the University of the Philippines noting that despite ongoing investigations, the lack of decisive accountability continues to erode public trust in the Marcos administration. “The ICI investigations have not inoculated him from accusations of wrongdoing,” Iglesias observed. “It would stretch the imagination that the president’s hands are clean, although we still haven’t seen the equivalent of a smoking gun.”
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