On September 21, 2025, a massive anti-corruption protest dubbed the “Trillion Peso March” took place in the Philippines. The demonstrations, which drew tens of thousands of participants in Manila and other major cities, were a direct response to a burgeoning scandal involving alleged widespread corruption in government flood control projects.
The Core of the Scandal: “Ghost” Projects 👻
The Trillion Peso March was sparked by revelations from ongoing congressional investigations into the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) flood control program. These probes have exposed a massive and deeply entrenched system of corruption, leading to a financial scandal that has been dubbed “Floodgate.”
Allegations center on several key schemes:
Chatbot AI and Voice AI | Ads by QUE.com - Boost your Marketing.- “Ghost projects”: Projects that are paid for but never built, or are left woefully incomplete.
- Substandard construction: Dikes and other flood infrastructure are built with poor-quality materials, making them useless and prone to collapse, despite costing taxpayers millions of pesos.
- Monopoly of contracts: A small group of politically connected contractors has allegedly been awarded a disproportionate number of projects, effectively cornering the market and preventing fair bidding.
- Kickbacks: Investigators have revealed that large percentages of project funds, sometimes as high as 25%, are siphoned off as kickbacks to corrupt public officials and contractors.
The scale of the corruption is staggering. Greenpeace Philippines estimates that over ₱1 trillion in climate-related expenditures, a significant portion of which was allocated for flood control, may have been lost to corruption since 2023. These revelations have intensified public outrage, especially in a country that is highly vulnerable to devastating floods.
The Protests: A Historic Day of Action ✊
The choice of September 21 for the protest was highly symbolic. It marks the 53rd anniversary of the declaration of martial law by former dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. by his son, current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The date was a powerful way for protesters to connect past abuses of power with present-day corruption and to emphasize the need for democratic accountability.
The protests, which organizers expected to draw about 30,000 people, were held in various locations, including Rizal Park and the People Power Monument, a site synonymous with the 1986 People Power Revolution that ousted Marcos Sr. Demonstrators, wearing black and white to symbolize defiance and hope, carried placards calling for accountability and justice. The rallies were largely peaceful, though isolated clashes between a smaller group of protesters and police near the presidential palace resulted in injuries and arrests.
The Trillion Peso March brought together a diverse range of people, including:
- Church groups
- Civil society organizations
- Labor unions
- Students and youth groups
- Families of flood victims
- Celebrities and public figures
Calls for Accountability 📢
Protesters demanded concrete action from the government, including:
- The swift arrest and prosecution of all individuals implicated in the scandal.
- The recovery of all stolen funds and ill-gotten wealth.
- Institutional reforms to increase transparency and accountability in government spending, such as the public release of public officials’ Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs).
While President Marcos Jr. has stated he shares the public’s frustration and supports their right to peaceful protest, the public’s anger has been directed at the lack of significant progress in holding high-ranking officials accountable for decades of corruption. The Trillion Peso March underscores the deep-seated anger and frustration of Filipinos who are tired of a “rotten system” where the corrupt are rarely punished.
Source: QUE.com
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