Manila anti-graft protest — MANILA: Tens of thousands of protesters gathered for a second straight day on Monday in Manila to press for the arrest of officials over corruption in flood-control projects, as members of Iglesia Ni Cristo and allied parties took over main roads. Police estimated that the two protests were large but peaceful. The demonstration began Sunday and continued into Monday, Nov. 17, 2025.
Organizers said the crowds broke 600,000 on Sunday, the first day of demonstrations, and were expected to continue into Tuesday. According to a Reuters report, the ongoing protests have also shaken investor confidence as investigations into the matter continue.
Critics say public works officials and lawmakers have awarded flood barrier contracts to favored companies at the expense of substandard or entirely fictitious “ghost” barriers. An audit that prompted the Manila anti-graft protest and a new presidential commission have so far not led to arrests, although advocates of the law say they will, according to the Associated Press.
A series of deadly typhoons this season — which have resulted in 259 reported fatalities — has increased attention on ruptured levees and uncompleted projects, with calls for accountability and timely legal processes.
The unfolding timeline of the scandal is laid out by ABS-CBN, which tracks claims that billions of pesos went missing from “ghost” works, despite thousands of recorded flood-control projects.
The Commission on Audit has initiated performance audits and raised issues about substandard or nonexistent works, including problematic contracts that amount to ₱341 million, according to findings reported by the COA to GMA News.
For many, the scale and vibe are reminiscent of the massive 2013 protests against pork-barrel corruption that filled Luneta Park; a contemporaneous look back at that tumult is catalogued in this Philippine Daily Inquirer feature on the 2013 “pork barrel” protests.
September’s buildup — which some referred to as a “Trillion Peso March” — preceded this week’s protest attendance and tone, as detailed in The Guardian’s September reporting.
In response, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has vowed to deliver justice before Christmas and has established an investigative commission to accomplish this goal. Protest leaders, who vow to maintain pressure if cases become stalled, say the Manila anti-graft protest will continue until contracts appear to be cleaned up and convictions follow.
