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As public fury mounts over corruption, cronyism, and missing billions, Filipinos take to the streets in scenes that mirror Nepal’s revolt against the privileged political class
Protesters march towards the police officers after destroying the blockade during a protest denouncing what they call corruption linked to flood control projects, in Manila, Philippines, September 21, 2025. REUTERS/Lisa Marie David
On Sunday, tens of thousands of Filipinos took to the streets to protest a sprawling corruption scandal involving allegedly fraudulent flood-control infrastructure projects. Protesters gathered in Manila along the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA), a historically significant site for past uprisings, hoisting flags, wearing white ribbons, and braving heat and rain. In one section, priests held mass; in another, students and activists called for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to resign.
Violence broke out near the presidential palace, where a group of masked protesters clashed with police. AFP reported that 72 people were arrested, including 20 minors, and at least 39 officers were injured. Police had to resort to tear gas and water cannons to disperse stone-throwing protesters, AP reported. A trailer was set on fire, and glass panels were shattered. Authorities closed schools in response to the violence.
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What Is The Flood-Control Scandal That Triggered The Outrage?
The Philippines is one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries, regularly battered by tropical cyclones, monsoon rains, and rising sea levels. In Metro Manila alone, decades of rapid urbanisation have narrowed rivers, degraded forests, and obstructed drainage systems, making floods more frequent and more destructive. Flood-control infrastructure has long been a national priority, especially in low-lying and densely populated provinces like Bulacan, Pampanga, and parts of the capital.
Since taking office in 2022, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had promised to tackle the crisis. Government data shows that 9,855 flood-management projects were sanctioned under his administration, with a total spending of 545 billion pesos (roughly $9.5 billion). These included drainage systems, flood barriers, water channels, and other critical infrastructure works.
But in his July state of the nation address, Marcos said many of these projects were either of “substandard quality” or did not exist at all. He alleged that contractors and officials had created a systemic racket to siphon off funds through ghost infrastructure and padded contracts. “Let’s stop pretending. The public widely knows such projects invite rackets—kickbacks, initiatives, erratas, SOPs, ‘for the boys’,” he said.
‘SOPs’ is a commonly used euphemism in the Philippines for standardised bribes or commissions built into public contracts, while “for the boys” refers to informal payoffs distributed among political allies or insiders.
Following that speech, the president ordered an independent commission of inquiry and directed the Department of Public Works and Highways to submit a detailed audit. The Department of Finance later estimated that corruption in these flood-control projects may have cost the country up to 118.5 billion pesos (about $3 billion) over two years. Environmental group Greenpeace claimed the real loss could be far higher, closer to $27 billion, if misused climate-related funds are also considered.
The controversy deepened when a wealthy couple, Pacifico and Cezarah Discaya, owners of several construction firms that won flood-control tenders, gave TV interviews showcasing dozens of luxury cars, including a 42-million-peso ($737,000) British car, which they claimed they bought in part because it came with a free umbrella. Their companies were part of a small group of just 15 contractors that had handled 20 per cent of the total projects. Further scrutiny revealed that roughly two-thirds of all contracts lacked basic technical documentation such as design plans or inspection reports.
What’s The Political Fallout So Far?
The scandal has triggered a shake-up in the Philippine Congress. On 8 September, the Philippine Senate voted to remove Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero as Senate President through a motion to vacate. Senator Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III was elected to replace him. While the exact reasons for Escudero’s removal were not officially confirmed, Time cited a source quoted by Inquirer.net suggesting that Escudero’s alleged ties to one of the 15 contractors under scrutiny may have played a role.
On 17 September, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, a cousin of President Marcos Jr., also stepped down amid pressure linked to the ongoing investigations into the flood-control contracts.
A Senate inquiry into the scandal remains underway. During televised hearings, the owner of a construction company accused nearly 30 lawmakers and officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways of accepting cash bribes. On 16 September, a Philippine court ordered the freezing of 135 bank accounts linked to the allegedly anomalous projects. President Marcos has directed government agencies to conduct lifestyle checks on all officials involved.
Who Is Involved In The Protests, And Who Are They Targeting?
The demonstrators include students, teachers, families, church groups, civil society activists, and even elected officials. Rallies were held not just in Manila but in several provinces, with many participants dressed in white or wearing white ribbons as a symbol of unity and outrage.
Protest organiser Teddy Casiño, chairperson of the left-wing alliance Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, told AFP his group was demanding not only the return of misappropriated public funds but also criminal prosecution. “Corruption requires people to go to the streets and express their outrage in the hope of pressuring government to actually do their jobs,” he said.
Religious institutions have also weighed in. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, led by Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, issued a statement supporting peaceful mobilisation: “Our purpose is not to destabilise but to strengthen our democracy,” he said, urging the public to demand accountability from those in power.
Public frustration has also spilled over into the digital space. According to sociologist Athena Charanne Presto, quoted in Time, online anger surged after social media users began sharing posts showing the extravagant lifestyles of the children of politicians and public contractors linked to the scandal. These included photos of European holidays and designer fashion far beyond the reach of average Filipinos. “Filipinos are angry at nepo babies,” she said, “but they have the biggest nepo baby sitting in the presidency.”
How Does This Tie Into Wider Protests In Asia?
The Philippine protests have not emerged in isolation. They echo a wave of anti-corruption and anti-elite uprisings across Asia.
In Nepal, weeks before the protests in Manila, a Gen-Z-led movement toppled the government after widespread anger erupted over so-called “nepo babies”, children of powerful politicians flaunting their wealth online amid rising unemployment and repression. The movement gained momentum after the government attempted to impose a social media ban, which protesters saw as a crackdown on dissent.
In Indonesia, protests recently broke out over lavish perks given to lawmakers and growing economic frustration among the country’s youth. Demonstrators adopted the Jolly Roger pirate flag, a symbol that later appeared in the Manila protests as well. Some Filipino protesters were seen waving this same symbol, popularised by the Japanese anime One Piece, as a broader expression of rebellion against entrenched privilege.
Political observer Richard Heydarian, speaking to Time, said that the sheer scale of corruption in the Philippine flood-control scandal, combined with recent natural disasters, had “galvanised” Filipino citizens. “We’re talking about flood-control projects which are faulty, and that’s very much on display with all of these massive natural disasters and flooding in recent months,” he said.
Heydarian warned that unless firm accountability follows, the Philippines risks facing an “Indonesia-style or even Nepal-style explosion.”
What Happens Next?
The government has promised more investigations and potential charges. For now, the public waits to see if those at the centre of the scandal will face consequences and whether this protest will mark a turning point or just another forgotten outcry.
About the Author
Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar…Read More
Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar… Read More
September 22, 2025, 14:33 IST
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