Thousands Rally in Manila Demanding Accountability for Flood Control Corruption
MANILA, Philippines – Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Manila on Sunday, November 30, 2025, demanding the arrest and prosecution of officials and construction company owners implicated in widespread corruption surrounding flood control projects. Demonstrators called for the return of billions of pesos in allegedly stolen government funds and expressed outrage over the lavish lifestyles funded by illicit gains.
The protests follow months of escalating scrutiny into anomalies within the country’s flood control infrastructure, first brought to light by President Ferdinand Marcos jr. in his state of the nation address in July. The demonstrations reflect growing public frustration with systemic corruption and a demand for accountability from those in power.
Protesters carried signs and chanted slogans, with one demonstrator wearing a shirt declaring, “No mercy for the greedy.” They specifically demanded the imprisonment of implicated members of Congress, government officials, and executives from construction firms involved in the alleged scheme.
“If money is stolen, that’s a crime, but if dignity and lives are taken away, these are sins against fellow human beings, against the country but, most importantly, against God,” said the Rev. Flavie Villanueva, a Catholic priest who has advocated for families impacted by the previous administration’s drug war, addressing the crowd. He urged, “Jail all the corrupt and jail all the killers.”
Authorities have already taken action in at least one case, with at least seven public works officers jailed for illegal use of public funds and related graft charges. Executives of Sunwest Corp., a construction firm linked to the project, are currently being sought.
Former government engineer Henry Alcantara recently returned 110 million pesos ($1.9 million) in kickbacks, admitting his involvement in the anomalies during Senate inquiry hearings and promising to return additional funds in the coming weeks. Approximately 12 billion pesos ($206 million) in assets belonging to suspects have been frozen by authorities, according to President Marcos.
Marcos has vowed that many of the at least 37 senators, members of Congress, and construction executives implicated in the scandal will be in jail by Christmas.Protesters are pushing for swifter action, demanding that those accused be held accountable for allegedly using stolen funds to finance private jets, luxury cars, mansions, and extravagant lifestyles.
AP journalists Joeal Calupitan and Aaron Favila contributed to this report.
