Philippines on Brink: Corruption and Nepo Babies Spark Mass Protests

The Philippines is experiencing significant political unrest, with a planned mass protest, the Trillion Peso March, scheduled for September 21st in Manila. The protests are fueled by public outrage over corruption and the opulent lifestyles of the children of political figures, often referred to as ‘nepo babies.’ The protest’s name, Trillion Peso March, originates from a Greenpeace report which claimed that approximately $17.6 billion, or around 1.4 trillion pesos, related to climate and flood control projects were lost to corruption in 2023. Social media is ablaze with criticism, using memes that depict leaders as crocodiles and AI-generated videos portraying them as greedy monsters. The extravagant lifestyles of ‘nepo babies’ are highlighted, with images of luxury cars, designer clothes, expensive bags, and world travels adding fuel to the fire. This wave of demonstrations highlights the public’s dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of resources and the perceived impunity of the elite. A recent audit revealed that nearly 70% of the funds intended for flood control projects had vanished due to corruption.