Thousands of people were pouring onto the streets of Manila on Sunday for a major anti-corruption rally in the Philippines capital.
Civil society groups, church leaders and concerned citizens were demanding accountability for what they allege is deep and systemic corruption across government agencies.
Demonstrations were also unfolding in other cities, reflecting growing nationwide frustration.
At Manila's Luneta Park, the energy was palpable. Chants rose from every corner, placards cut through the air, and a unified cry for accountability swept across the grounds. The mood was intense but orderly -- a blend of anger, exhaustion, and determination -- as Filipinos from every walk of life converged for one of the largest public protests in recent years.
The gathering, dubbed the "Trillion Peso March," was driven by allegations that over a trillion pesos in public funding had been lost to confidential allocations and procurement anomalies. Protesters expressed growing urgency to act following revelations that multi-billion-peso flood-control projects were never built -- projects they believe could have mitigated the deadly flooding from recent typhoons.
Throughout the park, some protesters wore crocodile masks, which organizers said symbolized corrupt officials who have fed off public funds for decades. The crowd included civil society groups, student coalitions, church communities, labor unions, and families. Participants emphasized that they were not calling for the destabilization of the government.
"The plan for today is to get people to assemble, to get people to speak out, to get people to express themselves, to perform to express their anger. We are not about to limit the anger of the people if they feel that their anger extends to the president or vice president," said Renato Reyes, president of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan.
"The students are currently protesting here because of the ghost flood control issues and also the current crisis in our education system due to the corruption. Because corruption not only kills, corruption not only causes flood, but corruption also steals our future," said Ceejay Bebis, a student activist.
To maintain order, authorities deployed 16,000 police officers across Metro Manila, with a significant presence at the protest site. The movement was not confined to the capital -- parallel marches took place in cities and provinces nationwide, signaling that the call for accountability is not isolated. For many Filipinos, it reflects a public demand that has been building for years.
Thousands attend protests against corruption in Philippines
