Protesters said Sunday, Sep. 21, they had seen how the public money was splurged for the lifestyle of the few so they decided to join the waves of mostly young people who flooded the streets of Manila.

It was the first time for JP, a 29-year-old Human Resource (HR) practitioner who did not want his full name disclosed, to join such rally. And he did so because he said he saw how the tax he was paying “had gone into waste and to the pockets of the few.”

“Ikaw, kunting delay lang, may pwedeng gawin sa’yo ang gobyerno. Pero sila, walang accountability (If you get delayed in paying your taxes, the government will penalize you. But if they lose the money from our tax, they do not have any accountability),” he added in an interview with ‘anila Bulletin.

Young individuals, mostly clad in black being a color of political neutrality, had marched from various parts of Manila towards Luneta Park in a huge gathering that was last witnessed during the 2022 elections.

Protesters said Sunday, Sep. 21, they had seen how the public money was splurged for the lifestyle of the few so they decided to join the waves of mostly young people who flooded the streets of Manila.

It was the first time for JP, a 29-year-old Human Resource (HR) practitioner who did not want his full name disclosed, to join such rally. And he did so because he said he saw how the tax he was paying “had gone into waste and to the pockets of the few.”

“Ikaw, kunting delay lang, may pwedeng gawin sa’yo ang gobyerno. Pero sila, walang accountability (If you get delayed in paying your taxes, the government will penalize you. But if they lose the money from our tax, they do not have any accountability),” he added in an interview with ‘anila Bulletin.

Young individuals, mostly clad in black being a color of political neutrality, had marched from various parts of Manila towards Luneta Park in a huge gathering that was last witnessed during the 2022 elections.

JP attended a same one during the 2022 campaign period . But it was his first time to witness participants expressing their dissent

“Yung dati, yung pagsali, galing sa suporta. Ito, galing sa galit, sa panghihinayang (Before, we used to join to support our candidate. Now, we join because of anger, of feeling of loss),” he said.

Morobeats, a group of Filipino rappers, hyped the disgruntled crowd as they performed “Anak ka ng Pu!”—a record they made weeks prior to the protest.

The song’s lyrics contained their message of anger and dissatisfaction towards the government.

“Yaman ng taas, galing lahat sa ibaba. Yaman ng taas, galing lahat sa ibaba (The wealth of those in the upper class comes from the lower ones),” they sang repeatedly, as the crowd, chanting in unison, raised their middle fingers.

The “Baha sa Luneta” (Flood in Luneta) came as people’s response to the discovery of billions-worth of supposed corruption in the government’s flood control projects.

Filipinos got even angrier as they saw how involved contractors and politicians spent money in the casinos and their “nepo-babies” splurge at the time many drown from flood.

A group of about 70 doctors and students from University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) joined the protest to express their dismay to the government.

They said they witnessed how their patients died in their hospital due to leptospirosis, a blood infection usually found in floodwaters, following continuous flooding across the metro.

“Nais naming ipagtanggol ang pangkalusugang karapatan ng mamamayan. Yung aming allocation sa health (We want to fight for the right to health of people; and for our allocation),” Angela Aguilar, a 58-year-old physician, said.

“Magtuturo na lang ba kami kung paano mag reseta sa leptospirosis? Or kailangan panagutin yung kung bakit nagkakamatayan dahil sa leptospirosis? (Should we just teach our students how to give prescription for leptospirosis? Or hold those accountable behind the deaths?)” Aguilar, who is also a faculty member of UP College of Medicine, added.

Some rallyists also wore full face-covered mask—apparently drawing inspiration from the same corruption-driven rallies in Indonesia and Nepal.

“No face, no case,” a group of seven young protesters from Sampaloc told Manila Bulletin, explaining why they wore such. They said they want to “get rid the country off all corrupt.”

But unlike protests in Indonesia and Nepal, the rally ended at noon peacefully.

Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Co said in an interview it was “heartening” to see that lots of youth took to the streets.

Herself a member of the House of Representatives, where some members of accused culprits, she said the actual fight is on the streets.

“Wala po sa loob ang solusyon. Nandito po kalsada, sa init (The solution is not inside. It is here, on the streets, under the intense heat),” Co said as she refused to identify herself as part of the institution.

Darby Santiago, a 55-year-old physician from UP-PGH who also used to join rallies in his early years, said he was glad to see many youngsters taking the movement.

“Ang korapsyon ay nakakamatay na sakit. Kami ay buhay na testigo sa pagkamatay ng mga pasyenteng hindi nakakakuha ng tamang atensyong medikal (Corruption is a deadly disease. We are a living witness to the deaths of patients who do not receive proper medical care),” he said.

“Natutuwa kami na may papalit samin…. Sana magtuloy tuloy na (We’re glad that there are younger ones who will take over us. I hope this will continue),” Santiago added.

JP attended a same one during the 2022 campaign period. But it was his first time to witness participants expressing their dissent

“Yung dati, yung pagsali, galing sa suporta. Ito, galing sa galit, sa panghihinayang (Before, we used to join to support our candidate. Now, we join because of anger, of feeling of loss),” he said.

Morobeats, a group of Filipino rappers, hyped the disgruntled crowd as they performed “Anak ka ng Pu!” (son of a who!)—a record they made weeks prior to the protest.

The song’s lyrics contained their message of anger and dissatisfaction towards the government.

“Yaman ng taas, galing lahat sa ibaba. Yaman ng taas, galing lahat sa ibaba (The wealth of those in the upper class comes from the lower ones),” they sang repeatedly, as the crowd, chanting in unison, raised their middle fingers.

The “Baha sa Luneta” (Flood in Luneta) came as people’s response to the discovery of billions-worth of supposed corruption in the government’s flood control projects.

Filipinos got even angrier as they saw how involved contractors and politicians spent money in the casinos and their “nepo-babies” splurge at the time many drown from flood.

A group of about 70 doctors and students from University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) joined the protest to express their dismay to the government.

They said they witnessed how their patients died in their hospital due to leptospirosis, a blood infection usually found in floodwaters, following continuous flooding across the metro.

“Nais naming ipagtanggol ang pangkalusugang karapatan ng mamamayan. Yung aming allocation sa health (We want to fight for the right to health of people; and for our allocation),” Angela Aguilar, a 58-year-old physician, said.

“Magtuturo na lang ba kami kung paano mag reseta sa leptospirosis? Or kailangan panagutin yung kung bakit nagkakamatayan dahil sa leptospirosis? (Should we just teach our students how to give prescription for leptospirosis? Or hold those accountable behind the deaths?)” Aguilar, who is also a faculty member of UP College of Medicine, added.

Some rallyists also wore full face-covered mask—apparently drawing inspiration from the same corruption-driven rallies in Indonesia and Nepal.

“No face, no case,” a group of seven young protesters from Sampaloc told Manila Bulletin, explaining why they wore such. They said they want to “get rid the country off all corrupt.”

But unlike protests in Indonesia and Nepal, the rally ended at noon peacefully.

Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Co said in an interview it was “heartening” to see that lots of youth took to the streets.

Herself a member of the House of Representatives, where some members of accused culprits, she said the actual fight is on the streets.

“Wala po sa loob ang solusyon. Nandito po kalsada, sa init (The solution is not inside. It is here, on the streets, under the intense heat),” Co said as she refused to identify herself as part of the institution.

Darby Santiago, a 55-year-old physician from UP-PGH who also used to join rallies in his early years, said he was glad to see many youngsters taking the movement.

“Ang korapsyon ay nakakamatay na sakit. Kami ay buhay na testigo sa pagkamatay ng mga pasyenteng hindi nakakakuha ng tamang atensyong medikal (Corruption is a deadly disease. We are a living witness to the deaths of patients who do not receive proper medical care),” he said.

“Natutuwa kami na may papalit samin…. Sana magtuloy tuloy na (We’re glad that there are younger ones who will take over us. I hope this will continue),” Santiago added.