Filipinos take part in a protest against corruption at Rizal Park on September 21, 2025 in Manila, Philippines. Photo:VCG

A large number of Filipinos took to the streets Sunday in response to corruption involving flood control anomalies in government, according to multiple media reports. Chinese Embassy, as well as embassies of other countries in the Philippines, has issued safety alerts for potential unrest and traffic disruptions ahead of the protests.

At least 49,000 people were gathered as of 10:25 am at Rizal Park in Manila for the rally, organized by university students and activist groups, according to the city government, The Philippine Star reported on Sunday. A diverse coalition of civil society groups and private citizens converged in Metro Manila and more than 20 other urban centers across the country, local media Inquirer reported.

Philippine police arrested 17 people - many dressed in black and wearing face masks - who set fire to the tires of a barricade truck and threw rocks at riot police securing a bridge and nearby roads leading to the presidential palace in Manila on Sunday, AP reported. 

Rage over the so-called ghost infrastructure projects has been mounting in the country since President Ferdinand Marcos put them center stage in a July state of the nation address that followed weeks of deadly flooding, per AFP. 

The Bloomberg reported that the rallies appear to be the biggest since Marcos said in July that some government flood-control projects had become a source of kickbacks. 

The infrastructure scandal has prompted a series of protests across the capital Manila in recent weeks, AFP reported. The Department of Finance has estimated that the Philippine economy lost up to 118.5 billion pesos ($2 billion) from 2023 to 2025 due to corruption in flood control projects, per the report.

The army has been previously placed on "red alert" as a precaution, according to AFP.

The Chinese Embassy and Consulate in the Philippines reminded Chinese nationals in the country on Saturday night to heighten their safety awareness and avoid going out whenever possible. 

For those who must travel, the embassy advised them to plan transportation carefully, stay away from protest areas and crowded places, pay attention to traffic restrictions caused by gatherings, and always carry valid identification to ensure personal safety, the embassy said.

The Australian Embassy in the Philippines on the same day also warned its citizens of potential violence, while the US and French embassies issued advisories urging avoidance of areas with demonstrations and large gatherings due to possible risks ahead of the September 21 rallies.

The scandal has already forced leadership changes in Congress. Earlier this month, the owners of a construction firm accused nearly 30 lawmakers and Department of Public Works and Highways officials of taking cash payments, The Philippine Star reported.

Xu Liping, director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday that the massive protests in the Philippines triggered by the flood control corruption scandal have raised public doubts about the administration's competence.

"I feel bad that we wallow in poverty and we lose our homes, our lives and our future while they rake in a big fortune from our taxes that pay for their luxury cars, foreign trips and bigger corporate transactions," student activist Althea Trinidad said, AP News reported.

Xu pointed out that the incident also stemmed from the combined effects of multiple factors. The living conditions of the Filipino people have yet to see substantial improvement, with issues such as employment and poverty persisting. At the same time, the government's focus on engaging in geopolitical games has disappointed the public, the expert said.