Thousands Rally in Philippines as Anger Builds Over Flood Graft, ‘Nepo Babies’ Targeted

Thousands Rally in Philippines as Anger Builds Over Flood Graft, ‘Nepo Babies’ Targeted

RMN News Report Highlights:

🇵🇭 Filipino Fury Over Flood Graft: Thousands of Filipinos are protesting against corruption, particularly targeting “nepo babies”—the children of wealthy politicians—who flaunt rich lifestyles while flood control projects are allegedly sources of kickbacks.

🔥 Nepal’s Leadership Resigns After Gen Z Protests: Massive protests led by Gen Z activists in Nepal involved arson and vandalism against leaders’ homes and ultimately forced the resignation of the country’s top leadership this month.

🇮🇩 Deadly Protests Hit Indonesia: Indonesia experienced deadly mass protests fueled by public dissatisfaction over economic hardships and a controversial 50 million rupiah housing allowance for parliament members, leading President Prabowo Subianto to replace five ministers.

🗳️ India Faces EVM Fraud Allegations: The “Smokescreen” report alleges that the electoral dominance of the BJP is not based on genuine popular support but on a strategy of alleged widespread electoral manipulation, including the selective use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

By Rakesh Raman
New Delhi | September 21, 2025

MANILA, Philippines – September 21, 2025

Thousands of Filipinos joined marches in Manila and other areas of the country on Sunday (September 21), participating in a large anti-corruption protest aimed at widespread government corruption. The rallies appear to be the biggest since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stated in July that some government flood-control projects had become a source of kickbacks.

Unrest Over Flood Control Corruption

The fury of Filipinos stems directly from corruption associated with state programs designed to mitigate flooding in the disaster-prone Southeast Asian nation. Public outrage is also specifically directed at the “nepo babies“—the children of wealthy politicians and contractors. These elite youth have become symbols of national grievances by flaunting their lavish lifestyles on social media, contrasting sharply with the suffering of citizens affected by corruption, storms, and floods. Francis Aquino Dee, one of the protest leaders, noted that while some people suffer from storms and floods, others allegedly involved in corruption in these projects are flaunting their wealth.

Organizers had expected more than 30,000 people to join a major rally near the main highway in the capital. The local government confirmed that over 20,000 people had converged in other parts of Manila, with simultaneous protests occurring elsewhere across the country. The diverse demonstrators included students, church leaders, militant organizations, and some lawmakers.

Symbolic Date and Political Response

The timing of the protest is historically significant. The demonstration took place on Sunday, September 21, marking the anniversary of the martial law imposed in 1972 by the father of the current leader, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.. The rally near the main highway in the capital is also the site of a largely nonviolent revolution in 1986 that eventually toppled the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

President Marcos Jr. has publicly supported the protests. However, he issued a warning that law enforcement would intervene if the demonstrations turned violent. Police reported that the Sunday demonstrations have remained peaceful so far.

In response to the graft allegations, President Marcos created an independent body this month specifically tasked with determining how much money was allegedly stolen from state coffers related to the flood-control projects. Authorities have frozen hundreds of bank accounts tied to the programs, and Marcos’ cousin stepped down as Speaker of the House of Representatives amid allegations of connections to the graft, though he has denied any wrongdoing.

Regional Wave of Discontent

The Philippine unrest occurs amid a broader trend of intense public discontent and political instability sweeping across the region. Citizens across South Asia are voicing anger against corruption and perceived political insensitivity.

Recent regional events include:

• Nepal: The country was recently hit by deadly protests, led mainly by young adults and teenagers, which ultimately forced the resignation of top leadership. Massive protests led by Gen Z activists pushed Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s government to the brink, with reports suggesting he resigned on September 9.
• Indonesia: The nation recently experienced deadly mass protests, fueled by rising public dissatisfaction over economic hardships and a controversial 50 million rupiah housing allowance for parliament members. These protests quickly turned violent, leading President Prabowo Subianto to replace five ministers in a cabinet reshuffle.

Despite the public uproar and regional volatility, Philippine financial markets have remained stable; the peso has been steady against the dollar this month, and the country’s benchmark stock index is up almost 2% over the same period.

Adding to the regional political flux, India is facing serious allegations of electoral manipulation. A new report titled “Unveiling the Smokescreen of Indian Democracy: Fabricated Factors Masking Electoral Manipulation,” referred to as the “Smokescreen” report, asserts that India is experiencing an “unprecedented debate regarding the integrity of its electoral process”.

The report contends that the electoral dominance of the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is not actually based on genuine popular support. Instead, it is attributed to a “sophisticated, multi-layered strategy involving a ‘smokescreen’ of manufactured narratives and alleged widespread electoral manipulation”.

By Rakesh Raman, who is a national award-winning journalist and social activist. He is the founder of a humanitarian organization RMN Foundation which is working in diverse areas to help the disadvantaged and distressed people in the society.

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