Hundreds Of Thousands Protest Against Corruption In The Philippine Capital

• 16.11.2025, 21:58

More than half a million people turned out for the protest.

Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of Manila to protest against the fraud surrounding the construction of flood control structures. On Sunday, November 16, demonstrators in the Philippine capital demanded the punishment of those involved in the corruption scheme, who are accused of embezzling more than 500 billion pesos (translating to about 7.3 billion euros) in state funds allocated for flood control infrastructure projects.

Police estimated that about 550,000 people took part in the rally, organized by the influential Christian group Iglesia ni Cristo. Placards demanded "Justice!" and "Transparency instead of conspiracy," among other demands. According to organizers, the demonstration was the largest protest against the corruption scandal. New protests are planned for November 17 and 18, DW reports.

Corruption scandal surrounding flood protection projects

The corruption scandal involves, among others, people from the entourage of the country's president Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Dozens of construction contractors, government officials and lawmakers, including the head of state's cousin, are also among those implicated.

They are accused of signing fictitious contracts instead of implementing real flood protection projects or performing the work improperly. There have also been reports of contractors embezzling funds and politicians and officials taking bribes.

The Philippines is particularly prone to extreme weather events, including floods and typhoons. An average of about 20 tropical cyclones hit this island nation each year. One of the strongest typhoons hit the Philippines in early November.