Preparations are underway in the Philippines for a major anti-government demonstration. A large number of protesters are expected to take to the streets on Sunday, fueled by growing public anger over corruption in government-funded flood control projects.
The protest, dubbed the “Trillion Peso March,” draws its name from a Greenpeace estimate that around 417.6 billion pesos were misused from climate-related projects in 2023. Just last month, floods caused severe damage across many parts of the Philippines. Streets in the capital turned into rivers, leaving residents trapped in floodwaters for hours and disrupting daily life. Contaminated water also caused widespread illness. Citizens are questioning why their tax money was not used to develop proper flood-prevention infrastructure.
On social media, leaders have been mocked through memes comparing them to crocodiles, while AI-generated content portrays them as greedy monsters. Young people have also exposed the lavish lifestyles of politicians’ children, branding them “nepo babies” to fuel public discontent.
The September 21 protest coincides with the anniversary of the day in 1972 when then-leader Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law. Amid mass uprisings and accusations of corruption, Marcos was forced into exile in 1989.
Today, his son, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., faces the fury of angry Filipinos. In an attempt to calm the unrest, he has formed a three-member commission led by a former Supreme Court justice. However, protest organizers dismissed the move as a “waste of time.”
Recent events in Nepal, where a Gen Z–led movement toppled the government, and in Indonesia, where public outrage over lawmakers’ privileges forced cuts in benefits, have further inspired Filipino youth to prepare for this protest.
Therefore, there is no doubt that other countries will adopt Nepal’s style of protest. If corrupt leaders and dictators fail to realize in time, they will be left with nothing — neither home nor power. Around the world, Nepal’s Gen Z movement is being taken as a source of inspiration. In just 26–27 hours, the Gen Z uprising in Nepal forced corrupt leaders to kneel.
