Thousands of protesters gathered in Manila to express their dissatisfaction over a significant scandal concerning fraudulent flood-control projects, which are believed to have cost taxpayers billions of dollars. As public outrage has escalated since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. highlighted the issue during his July State of the Nation address, which followed a series of devastating floods, demonstrations have taken place across the capital. While the protests were largely peaceful, minor clashes occurred, resulting in police using water cannons and making arrests. Estimates indicated that nearly 50,000 people participated in the morning demonstration at Luneta Park, with thousands more attending a subsequent rally on EDSA, a historic site of political protest. The Department of Finance has projected a loss of up to 118.5 billion pesos (approximately $2 billion) due to corruption in these projects, while Greenpeace suggests the actual figure could reach $18 billion. The scandal has prompted significant political repercussions, including the resignation of House Speaker Martin Romualdez amid ongoing investigations into alleged cash payments involving numerous officials.
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