A major protest, the Trillion Peso March, is set for September 21 in Manila, as citizens voice deep frustration over alleged corruption in government flood control and climate-related projects. The movement, backed by civil society and church groups, has gathered momentum following accusations that approximately US$17.6 billion was misappropriated from climate-related initiatives in 2023 alone. This outrage comes amid the backdrop of increasingly severe flooding across the country. Many communities have suffered loss of property and life, and critics are asking how funds intended to prevent such disasters have instead, according to them, failed to result in meaningful infrastructure or risk mitigation. Concerns about “ghost infrastructure projects” — essentially projects that were funded but not delivered or improperly constructed — have gained prominence. Adding symbolic weight, the date of the protest aligns with the anniversary of the declaration of martial law in 1972 by then‐President Ferdinand Marcos (father of current President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.). Critics argue the parallels are intentional, suggesting a return to unchecked power or unaccountable governance. Meanwhile, President Marcos Jr. has said he supports the people’s anger and supports an independent inquiry.  In response to the mounting pressure, the House Speaker, Martin Romualdez — a cousin of the president — resigned from his position, saying that a fully independent investigation was needed. An independent commission headed by former Supreme Court Justice Andrés Reyes has been tasked to review a decade’s worth of spending on flood control projects and related climate efforts. Key Issues Stakeholders Want Addressed: • Transparency & auditing: Clear disclosure of how funds were spent, which projects were executed, and which were not. • Accountability for officials: Identifying individuals who mismanaged or diverted funds. • Quality of infrastructure: Ensuring that flood control measures actually work and are not just paper plans. • Community involvement: Incorporating voices of affected citizens in planning and oversight. Potential Outcomes: If the protest gains strong traction, it may accelerate reforms in government contracting, procurement, and project monitoring. It might force stronger oversight by legislative bodies, watchdog agencies, and possibly lead to legal consequences for those implicated. On the other hand, failure to respond meaningfully could deepen public distrust and fuel ongoing civic unrest. https://theguardian.com