Mass Protests in Philippines over Flood Control Corruption Scandal

Tens of thousands of demonstrators flooded the streets of Manila on Sunday to denounce large-scale corruption linked to fraudulent and substandard flood control projects, a scandal that has shaken public trust and intensified scrutiny of government spending.

Organizers estimated the crowd at more than 130,000 in the capital, with protesters converging on Luneta Park and the EDSA People Power Monument, the historic site of the 1986 uprising that ousted the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., father of the current president.

The rallies, supported by opposition politicians and the influential Catholic Church, underscored mounting anger after revelations that billions of dollars allocated for flood control had either been siphoned off or wasted on substandard works.

The Department of Finance estimated losses of up to 118.5 billion pesos ($2 billion) between 2023 and 2025, though Greenpeace placed the figure closer to $18 billion.

The scandal erupted months after deadly monsoons devastated large parts of the country, intensifying outrage over the government’s failure to deliver effective protection. In September, a construction firm accused nearly 30 lawmakers and senior officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways of accepting illicit payments.

Seventeen people were arrested near the presidential palace after clashes with riot police, but most of the demonstrations remained peaceful. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who had earlier highlighted the scandal in his state of the nation address, said he did not fault citizens for their anger but appealed for calm.