Demonstrators marched through Manila today, demanding swift prosecution for parliamentarians and officials implicated in "ghost projects" related to the Philippines' flood control efforts. This public outcry follows months of escalating anger over alleged widespread corruption in vital infrastructure projects.
Approximately 10,000 individuals participated in the protests. Authorities responded by deploying over 17,000 police personnel to maintain security, erecting barbed wire barriers to prevent crowds from approaching the Presidential Palace. Some protesters openly called for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to resign.
Separately, about 10 km away, another group marched along EDSA avenue. This historic site was where the People Power Revolution unfolded, contributing to the overthrow of Marcos' father in 1986. Protesters here demanded the "immediate imprisonment" of corrupt officials.
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Protesters confront riot police near the Presidential Palace in Manila on 30/11. *Photo: AFP*
The indignation over "ghost flood control projects" has intensified for months across this nation of 116 million. Many towns have recently endured devastating consequences from severe rain and flooding, exacerbating public frustration.
President Marcos himself inspected flood control dam projects in Iloilo city in August. He discovered them to be "ghost projects" characterized by substandard construction and significant delays, which directly worsened the region's flooding problems.
The Philippine Economic Planning Minister reported that 70% of the budget allocated for flood control projects had been misappropriated. The Philippine Finance Ministry estimated the economy lost up to 2 billion USD between 2023-2025 due to this corruption. Greenpeace suggested the actual figure could be nearly 18 billion USD.
Several Philippine officials and parliamentarians, including a cousin of President Marcos, face accusations of involvement in the scandal. Recently, 8 employees from the Public Works and Highways Ministry were arrested in connection with flood control project corruption. The government has pledged that "the big fish will soon surface."
The Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives, linked to the projects, resigned despite denying any wrongdoing. Similarly, the leader of the Philippine Senate was ousted after information revealed a contractor from a flood control project had donated to his 2022 election campaign.
Artist Jessie Wanaluvmi J, 20, a protester, stated that individuals had died because of corruption in these flood control initiatives. Azon Tobiano, 68, who attended with her granddaughter, explained she joined after seeing a call to action on social media.
"I truly hope justice will be served", Tobiano said. "I hope the President will be resolute in imprisoning those responsible, whether they are relatives or senators."
The Philippines has a history of numerous public fund scandals. High-ranking politicians are often convicted of corruption but rarely face strict prison sentences.
Protester Cuitlauzina Cerbito, 23, characterized these issues as "systemic". "To change these things, it cannot be just one individual", she said. "It requires all of us acting together."
Huyen Le (Based on AFP, AP reports)
