Thousands of protesters gathered in the Philippine capital, Manila, on Sunday to demand accountability in a major corruption scandal involving flood control projects worth billions of dollars.
Authorities deployed police and troops on high alert to prevent potential outbreaks of violence, amid concerns following recent deadly demonstrations in neighboring Indonesia over police brutality, inflation, and parliamentary wages.
The protest, led by Christian churches across denominations, saw demonstrators waving Philippine flags and holding banners that read: “No more, too much, jail them.” They demanded the prosecution of officials and contractors involved in the scandal.
“I feel bad that we wallow in poverty and lose our homes, our lives, and our future while they rake in a fortune from our taxes,” said student activist Althea Trinidad. “We want a system where people will no longer be abused.”
AFP reported that approximately 13,000 people had gathered in Manila’s Luneta Park by Sunday morning. Public anger has grown since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. exposed the so-called “ghost infrastructure projects” during his July State of the Nation address. He later formed an independent commission to investigate irregularities across nearly 9,855 flood-control projects, worth over 545 billion pesos (around $9.5 billion).
Outrage intensified after a wealthy couple, Sarah and Pacifico Discaya, who run multiple construction companies, were awarded flood-control contracts despite owning dozens of luxury vehicles from Europe and the US.
President Marcos said Monday that he does not blame people for protesting and called for the demonstrations to remain peaceful. He also confirmed that the military was on “red alert” as a precaution.
Observers noted the symbolic timing and location of the protest, coinciding with the September 21 anniversary of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s declaration of martial law, and the same highway where two People Power revolutions occurred.
Protesters are calling on the government to institute lasting reforms that eliminate opportunities for corruption at every level.
“Why is there a budget for ghost projects but none for the health sector?” asked 23-year-old nursing student Aly Villahermosa. “The theft of public funds is truly shameful.”
