Sunday 30 / November / 2025
Manila: Thousands of protesters marched in the Philippines on Sunday, demanding that the government take strong action against officials involved in a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure scandal.
One of the protests was held by the left-wing groups in the capital Manila, which called for the immediate resignation and prosecution of all implicated government officials.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has been scrambling to soothe public outrage that had been simmering for months over the massive corruption in flood control projects across an archipelago long prone to deadly flooding.
Eight members of the country's Department of Public Works and Highways were arrested just days ago, with the government promising "big fish are coming soon."
'Put them in jail!'
Roman Catholic churches across the country helped lead Sunday's anti-corruption protests in their districts, with the main daylong rally being held at a pro-democracy "people power" monument along EDSA highway in the capital region.
A security force of some 17,000 police officers was deployed for crowd control in Manila during the protest. According to the police, some 5,000 protesters who were mostly wearing white joined the demonstrations.
Demonstrators in the capital's Luneta Park, a short distance from the presidential palace, were seen holding crocodile-shaped signs calling for an end to systemic corruption.
"There are people who died because of the corruption that is happening," 20-year-old drag performer Jessie Wanaluvmi J told AFP news agency before her scheduled performance.
The Philippines has a long history of scandals involving public funds, and since July, when the issue of the scandal was first raised by Marcos, at least seven public works officers have been jailed for illegal use of public funds and other graft charges in one flood control project anomaly alone.
