Thousands protest in Manila over multimillion-dollar ‘ghost’ flood control project scandal

MANILA, Sept 21 — Thousands of Filipinos took to the streets in Manila today to protest a growing scandal involving fraudulent flood-control projects that are estimated to have cost taxpayers billions of dollars.

Public outrage over the so-called “ghost” infrastructure projects has intensified since President Ferdinand Marcos highlighted the issue in his July state of the nation address, following weeks of deadly flooding. On Monday, Marcos expressed that he did not blame citizens for protesting “one bit” while urging demonstrations to remain peaceful. The military has been placed on “red alert” as a precaution.

“There were times I personally waded through floods,” said Aly Villahermosa, a 23-year-old nursing student from Metro Manila, as roughly 13,000 people gathered this morning at Luneta Park. “If there’s a budget for ghost projects, then why is there no budget for the health sector?” she added, describing the misappropriation of public funds as “truly shameful.”

Teddy Casino, 56, chairman of the leftist group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, said the protestors are demanding both the return of stolen funds and prison sentences for those involved. “Corruption drives people to the streets, expressing their outrage to pressure the government to actually do its job,” he said.

Even larger crowds are expected later to march along EDSA, the historic thoroughfare where the People Power Movement forced the ousting of Marcos’s father in 1986.

The scandal has already triggered leadership changes in Congress. House Speaker Martin Romualdez, a cousin of President Marcos, resigned earlier this week as an investigation began.

Earlier this month, a construction company accused nearly 30 House members and officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) of accepting cash bribes. The Department of Finance estimates that corruption in flood-control projects has cost the Philippine economy up to 118.5 billion pesos (RM8.41 billion) from 2023 to 2025, though Greenpeace suggests the figure could be closer to US$18 billion.

The Philippines has a long-standing history of scandals involving public funds, with high-ranking officials often escaping serious jail time. During a recent visit to Bulacan, a flood-prone province north of Manila with several fraudulent projects, AFP reporters observed residents walking through murky waters in rubber boots.

“They should not have handed over money before the work was completed,” said 81-year-old retiree Elizabeth Abanilla. “Both politicians and contractors are guilty.” — AFP