Manila, 21 September 2025 (dpa/MIA) – Thousands of Filipinos took to the streets across the Philippines on Sunday to express outrage over alleged corruption in bogus and sub-standard government flood-control projects worth billions of dollars.

In Manila, the protests were held in Luneta Park and the EDSA People Power Monument, which commemorates a mass uprising that ousted incumbent President Ferdinand Marcos Jr's late father, who was deposed in 1986 due to massive corruption and human rights abuses.

The demonstrations in Manila – attended by an estimated 130,000 people, according to organizers – were the largest held so far in the Philippines over the scandal since Marcos Jr ordered an investigation into the anomalous projects in July.

Some of the protesters in Luneta Park, estimated at 80,000, marched towards the Malacañang Presidential Palace but were stopped by police, who blocked the way with a long truck.

A group of young rallyists who were wearing masks began throwing rocks at the rows of police and set fire to the truck's tyres shouting, “For the nation!”

Several people, including police, some protesters and reporters were injured in the confrontation. At least 12 demonstrators, many of them masked, were arrested, according to police.

“Many are angry, and I am here with family and friends to show that we are among those who are mad at thieves,” said Raymond Mendros, who was with family and friends at the rally in Luneta Park.

“It’s really frustrating,” he added. “With the amount of money allocated for these projects, there should be no more floods, but there are still floods!”

Congressional investigations have unearthed various anomalies in over 500 billion pesos ($9 billion) worth of flood control projects, including ghost projects and low-quality work in many areas that are now suffering from floods.

Some whistleblowers in the investigation, however, implicated some legislators in the anomalies, alleging that they received kickbacks from project contractors.

The protesters carried placards and banners, reading “Stop ghosting,” “Corruption kills,” “Where is my money?”, “Taxes not for Thieves!” and “We wade through floods, you waste our money!”

Ian Red Dela Cruz, a member of an alliance of organizations working for the rights of persons with disabilities, said their group showed up to demand accountability from those who stole public funds.

“We want those billions of pesos of flood-control funds to be returned back to the public,” the 26-year-old disability advocate said. “To the government, we want action now, not in six months. We want it now.”

Sunday also marked the 53rd anniversary of the declaration of martial law by the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1972.

Protesters noted that while President Marcos Jr supported the protests against the anomalous projects, his family should still be held accountable for the corruption and human rights abuses during his father’s 21-year rule.

“They still need to pay for what they stole,” Mendros said. “They are not in the clear just because President Marcos Jr is supporting the demonstrations against the corruption in the flood-control projects. They are also corrupt.”

Photo: EPA