A massive wave of anticorruption protests swept across Manila on September 22, exposing deep public anger over billions of dollars allegedly siphoned off from government flood-control projects. What began as a largely peaceful rally of tens of thousands quickly turned violent, leaving one dead, hundreds arrested, and hundreds more injured, underscoring the fragility of Philippine democracy amid intensifying scandals surrounding President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s administration.

The demonstrations followed revelations that nearly 10,000 government-funded flood-control projects, valued at more than $9.5 billion, are under investigation for corruption. These projects, carried out between July 2022 and May 2025, were intended to shield the country from increasingly devastating floods linked to climate change. Instead, watchdogs say many were “ghost” projects-funded on paper but never built-allowing politicians and contractors to pocket taxpayer money.

The scandal has become a rallying point for activists, environmental groups, and ordinary citizens who say they have long borne the costs of climate-driven disasters while government officials enrich themselves. Protest banners in Manila read, “Stop Stealing Our Future,” and “Floods Kill, Corruption Steals.”

What could have been a defining moment of civic mobilization quickly descended into chaos. According to the Philippine National Police (PNP), protesters clashed with officers after tensions flared on Sunday evening. Authorities accused demonstrators of pelting police with stones and setting fire to motorcycles,........

© Blitz