On Sunday, November 16, 2025, Manila’s usually bustling Rizal Park transformed into a sea of white as an estimated 650,000 people gathered for a rally that would reverberate across the Philippines. Organized by the influential religious group Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC), the three-day event was a direct response to a corruption scandal that has shaken the nation’s trust in its leaders and institutions. The rally, which runs through November 18 at the Quirino Grandstand, is not only a call for accountability but also a striking display of civic engagement in a country battered by recent natural disasters and political turmoil.
According to the Manila City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, the crowd swelled to 650,000 by early evening on the first day. Attendees—many clad in white and wielding placards denouncing corruption—were joined by other groups holding parallel protests throughout the capital. The collective message was clear: Filipinos have had enough of graft and demand sweeping reforms in government practices, particularly in the wake of revelations about widespread corruption in flood-control projects.
As reported by Inquirer, the scandal centers on allegations that members of Congress and top officials at the Department of Public Works and Highways accepted kickbacks from construction companies. These bribes allegedly helped companies secure lucrative contracts and avoid scrutiny for substandard or even nonexistent flood defense projects. The accusations, aired during Senate hearings and a fact-finding commission, have been denied by most of the politicians and officials involved. Nevertheless, the public’s outrage has only intensified as more details have come to light.
The timing of the scandal couldn’t be more sensitive. The Philippines, one of the world’s most typhoon-prone countries, was still reeling from two devastating storms earlier in November that killed at least 259 people—most of them victims of flash floods and landslides. Millions more were forced to evacuate, underscoring the life-and-death importance of effective flood control. For many, the revelation that government officials may have profited from shoddy or imaginary projects is more than a breach of trust; it’s a matter of survival.
Security was tight throughout the weekend, with the police and military on full alert. According to GMA Integrated News, more than 16,000 police officers were deployed to the rally site, and the Manila City government sent 14 ambulances to provide medical assistance. The presidential palace, Malacañang, went into security lockdown, barricaded by anti-riot police, cargo containers, and barbed wire. Despite these precautions, law enforcement authorities were instructed to exercise “maximum tolerance,” and the rally remained peaceful, a marked contrast to earlier anti-corruption protests that had turned violent. During one such demonstration on September 21, a few hundred protesters clashed with police near the presidential palace, injuring over 100 officers and resulting in criminal complaints against 97 demonstrators.
The ripple effects of the rally were felt beyond the streets. ABS-CBN reported that the Supreme Court suspended work in some Manila courts due to the disruptions caused by the massive gathering. This rare move highlighted the scale and impact of the protest, as the city adjusted to accommodate the influx of demonstrators and their demands for justice.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., facing mounting pressure, sought to reassure the public with promises of accountability. On November 13, he declared that “many of the powerful senators, members of Congress and wealthy businesspeople implicated in the scandal would be in jail by Christmas.” According to Inquirer, an independent fact-finding commission established by Marcos has already filed criminal complaints for graft and corruption and plunder against 37 suspects. In addition, 86 construction company executives and nine government officials face charges of tax evasion totaling nearly 9 billion pesos (approximately $152 million).
Among those accused are figures from across the political spectrum, including former House Speaker Martin Romualdez—Marcos’s cousin and close ally—and former Senate President Chiz Escudero. Both have denied any wrongdoing. Senator Bong Go, a prominent supporter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, was also named in the scandal, though he too has rejected the allegations. The breadth of those implicated—spanning both allies and opponents of the current administration—has fueled speculation about the true depth of corruption and the political motivations behind the investigations.
The INC, known for its bloc-voting power and political influence, insisted that its rally was a religious, not political, event. Police Brigadier General Randulf Tuaño, spokesperson for the Philippine National Police, emphasized this distinction, though many observers noted the rally’s unmistakable political undertones. Other groups seized the moment as well: the United People’s Initiative Fighting Corruption, composed of retired generals, staged a separate protest at the EDSA People Power Monument, while supporters of former President Duterte marched from Plaza Salamanca to join the INC event. Meanwhile, the “Takbo Laban sa Kurakot” (Run Against Corruption) event drew participants to the University of the Philippines-Diliman campus for a morning of activism through exercise.
Calls for accountability have not been limited to the streets. Vice President Sara Duterte, daughter of the former president who is now detained by the International Criminal Court in The Hague for alleged crimes against humanity, has argued that President Marcos should also face consequences for signing the 2025 national budget, which allocated billions to the now-tainted flood-control projects. Some pro-Duterte supporters have gone so far as to call for the military to withdraw support from Marcos, though Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. forcefully rejected such suggestions. "With full conviction, I assure the public that the armed forces will not engage in any action that violates the Constitution," Brawner stated. "Not today, not tomorrow, and certainly not under my watch."
Throughout all this, the specter of past political upheavals loomed large. Protests at the EDSA People Power Monument evoked memories of the 1986 revolution that ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., while the presence of Duterte supporters underscored the deep divisions and shifting allegiances in Philippine politics. Yet, for many ordinary Filipinos, the focus remained on the urgent need for transparency and effective governance—especially as climate change and extreme weather events make the consequences of corruption ever more dire.
As the rally continues, the nation watches closely. Will the government deliver on its promises of justice and reform? Or will the latest scandal fade into the background, as so many have before? For now, at least, the voices of hundreds of thousands gathered in Manila echo the hopes—and frustrations—of a country determined to hold its leaders to account.
