By Andrew Rose
America News World | September 21, 2025
MANILA – Clashes rocked the streets of Manila on Sunday as tens of thousands of furious Filipinos rallied against a massive corruption scandal in flood-control projects, turning what organizers hoped would be a historic “people power” demonstration into scenes of chaos and arrests.
Protesters, waving Philippine flags and chanting “No more, too much, jail them!”, gathered at Rizal Park and the EDSA People Power Monument – symbolic sites of past revolutions. The “Trillion Peso March,” named for the estimated $17.6 billion allegedly siphoned from climate projects, drew church leaders, students, and civil society groups demanding accountability from lawmakers and tycoons. 0 Led by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, the event coincided with the 53rd anniversary of martial law under Ferdinand Marcos Sr., amplifying calls to “strengthen democracy” amid widespread flooding from a brutal monsoon season. 3
Tensions boiled over near the presidential palace, where demonstrators hurled bottles at riot police, who responded with tear gas and water cannons. Videos circulating on TikTok, Facebook, and X captured protesters smashing shields and setting a truck ablaze at Ayala Bridge, with at least 17 arrests reported. 8 12 No fatalities were confirmed, but U.S. and Australian embassies urged citizens to avoid the area due to violence risks.
The outrage stems from revelations that 9,855 projects worth over $9.5 billion were substandard or “ghost” schemes, leaving flood-prone areas like Bulacan vulnerable as leptospirosis cases surge. 0 President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. acknowledged anomalies but urged peaceful protests, while Senate President Francis Escudero and House Speaker Martin Romualdez resigned amid the fallout. Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon announced dismissals of three engineers and probes into 15 others, freezing their assets.
Social media erupted with viral clips of detentions and vandalism, fueling a national swell of anger against “systemic impunity.” 15 As one protester told Al Jazeera, “We’ve suffered enough – the floods are real, but the corruption is criminal.” 8 With more rallies planned, the scandal threatens to destabilize Marcos’s administration, echoing the 1986 uprising that ousted his father.
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