Since the first “Trillion Peso March” on 21 September, what began as a single day of outrage has swelled into a sustained nationwide anti-corruption movement shaking the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Tens of thousands of Filipinos originally filled Metro Manila and key provincial cities to protest alleged large-scale plunder of flood-control funds, with critics claiming that as much as ₱1.9 trillion over the past 15 years has been drained by “ghost” and substandard projects.
In the weeks that followed, church leaders, civil-society coalitions and youth groups rallied under the banner of the Trillion Peso March Movement. Weekly “White Ribbon Friday” protests at the EDSA Shrine, featuring noise barrages and candle-lit human ribbons, have kept the issue alive in the public eye and built momentum for an even larger nationwide mobilization scheduled for Bonifacio Day on 30 November. Organisers say more than 100 organisations are preparing to join, framing the campaign as a moral crusade for accountability rather than a partisan fight.
At the core of public anger are revelations from audits and congressional hearings about kickbacks allegedly siphoning 25–30 percent of funds from flood-control and climate projects, and hundreds of non-existent or poorly built structures exposed after deadly storms. Technical inspections have already flagged more than 400 “ghost” projects out of some 8,000 works checked nationwide, while recent typhoons and failed defences have left hundreds dead and displaced well over a million people.
The pressure rose further in mid-November when the influential Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC), once an ally of Marcos, led a three-day “Rally for Transparency and a Better Democracy” centred on Manila’s Rizal Park and the Quirino Grandstand. Authorities estimate that around 600,000–650,000 people joined over the three days, backed by heavy but largely non-confrontational police deployment. Parallel, smaller protests at the People Power Monument and on university campuses brought together Duterte loyalists, retired generals, progressive blocs and faith-based networks, united in denouncing corruption even as they differ on whether Marcos should be forced from office.
For coastal communities, port cities and maritime workers, the scandal is painfully concrete: every missing peso in flood defences translates into higher risks to ports, shipping lanes and low-lying barangays that depend on resilient infrastructure to keep trade moving and families safe. As of 19 November 2025, the Trillion Peso March has firmly linked demands for clean government with the struggle for climate resilience and safe seas, ensuring that the political and economic cost of inaction for the Marcos administration continues to rise ahead of the 30 November nationwide protests.
Sources
- Reuters — “Philippines’ Marcos says no one will be spared in infrastructure corruption probe” (Sept 15, 2025).
Link - The Guardian — “Protesters flood streets of Philippines over state corruption” (Sept 21, 2025).
Link - POLITICO — “Dozens arrested and hurt in clashes near Philippine presidential palace” (Sept 21, 2025).
Link - Philstar — “Trillion Peso March organizers staging protest on Nov. 30” (Oct 3, 2025).
Link - SPOT.ph — “Trillion Peso March to Stage Friday Protests Until Nov. 30” (Oct 9, 2025).
Link - Philippine Daily Inquirer — “Anticorruption protest set every Friday; PH-wide rally on Nov. 30” (Oct 2025).
Link - ABS-CBN News — “Groups hold ‘White Friday’ protest for accountability…” (Nov 7, 2025).
Link - Gulf News — “Flood control scam by the numbers: 421 of 8,000 are ‘ghost projects’; 30–40% kickbacks” (Oct 9, 2025).
Link - Inquirer.net — “COA flags 4 more ‘ghost’ flood control projects, files new raps” (Sept 2025).
Link - Asian Journal — “Senate, COA, BIR probe ‘ghost projects’ in flood-control funds” (Sept 2025).
Link - The Guardian — “Hundreds of thousands protest in Manila over missing flood funds” (Nov 17, 2025).
Link - ABS-CBN News — “Crowd at INC Quirino Grandstand rally swells to ~630,000” (Nov 16, 2025; updated).
Link - Philippine News Agency — “PNP prepares forces for ‘Trillion Peso March’ on Nov. 30” (Nov 2025).
Link
