Thousands of Filipinos filled the streets of Manila to protest the alleged embezzlement of $17.6 billion in environmental and flood relief funds, standing up against government corruption. The demonstrations followed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s admission that many flood-control projects had not been carried out as promised. Although intended as peaceful, some protests turned violent.
The article, Protesters in Manila Accuse Government of Misusing Environmental Funds by Aie Balagtas See, focuses on the outrage occurring in the Philippines amid the realization that billions of dollars intended for flood relief projects had been embezzled. Demonstrations broke out across Manila and other cities, marking one of the largest challenges to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration since he was elected in 2022.
There are two ways this situation can be understood. First, as a local issue about corruption and mismanagement of much needed disaster-relief funds, but more importantly, as a part of a broader struggle over inequality and accountability in democratic governance.
The core issue is the alleged misuse of funds. According to estimates from Greenpeace, nearly 1 trillion pesos, about $17.6 billion, that were supposed to be for flood-control projects disappeared through corruption and poorly executed projects. This left ordinary Filipinos vulnerable, as flooding in Manila remains chronic and deadly. The objective of the protests was for citizens to express their frustrations with officials. From their perspectives, it seems that while officials and their families flaunted wealth, citizens were forced to wade through waist-deep water during monsoon season. Filipino families are severely impacted by these substandard public spaces. Damaged roads and unlit streets lead to accidents, and can be prevented.
This conflict over corruption is not new, as it echoes decades of scandals in the Philippines. The timing of these protests was symbolic, falling on the anniversary of Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s 1972 martial law declaration. Many older protesters compared the current scandal to the corruption of the Marcos dictatorship, highlighting that despite reforms, cycles of abuse of public funds remain. The last mass protests of this scale occurred in 2013 over the “pork barrel” scandal, which also centered on government kickbacks.
Additionally, the protests did not just involve local grievances. They reflected wider discontent seen across Southeast Asia, as countries like Indonesia and Nepal have also faced mass demonstrations over inequality and government spending. This pattern is encouraging for the region, with citizens mobilizing and vocalizing their outrage at governments for being more invested in elite interests than public welfare.
The resolution of this issue matters because it touches both on survival and trust in government. For Filipinos, flood control is not optional; it is a matter of welfare and safety in a country victim to typhoons and rising sea levels. If the same corruption continues, it undermines public faith in democracy and will likely fuel broader unrest. The Manila protests show how local failures of governance can escalate into national crises, and hopefully will result in the change they are fighting for.