Anti-Corruption Groups Hold Mass and Rally at EDSA Shrine to Condemn Corruption in Flood Control Projects

Tindig Pilipinas, NAGKAISA! Labor Coalition, Kalipunan ng Kilusang Masa, Simbahan at Komunidad Laban sa Katiwalian, and pro-democracy organizations, held a mass and rally today, September 11, at the historic EDSA Shrine to protest the massive corruption tied to anomalous flood control projects.

Billions of pesos meant to protect Filipinos from the devastating impact of floods had allegedly been lost to ghost projects, kickbacks, and collusion between politicians and contractors. For the coalition, this massive corruption was yet another betrayal of the Filipino people, especially the poor and vulnerable who bore the brunt of floods and climate disasters.

“We cannot stay silent while our money is being stolen, while our people drown in both floods and corruption,” said Kiko Aquino Dee, Convenor of Tindig Pilipinas. 

“Every peso pocketed by these corrupt officials is a classroom not built, a health center left unfinished, and flood protection denied to our communities. That is why we demand: buuin na ang isang independent commission to investigate this massive corruption, and release the SALNs of all public officials involved. Transparency and accountability must begin now,” Dee added. 

Judy Ann Chan Miranda, from NAGKAISA! Labor Coalition, underscored the moral urgency of collective action. “This is not just about corruption, it is about life and death, justice and injustice. The billions stolen from flood control projects could have saved lives and livelihoods. We gather at EDSA Shrine because we believe that, once again, the Filipino people must rise to demand truth, accountability, and reform.”

The coalition emphasized that the EDSA Shrine, a symbol of the people’s power against tyranny and abuse, was the rightful venue for citizens to once again declare: Enough is enough.

“Our call is simple: end corruption, hold the thieves accountable, and return the money to the people. Gawin nating kadiri muli ang kurapsyon,” Dee concluded.

On the Escalating Tensions in BARMM

The Nagkaisa Labor Coalition expresses grave concern over worrisome reports of escalating tensions in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). These tensions erupted following the government’s move to effect a regime change in the region, triggering a breakdown in trust between parties to the peace process.

We mark a historic victory when both the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) signed the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB). Yet today, we are alarmed that the MILF has suspended cooperation with its full implementation, including decommissioning. This is a dangerous turn of events that threatens to undo decades of painstaking progress toward peace.

We experienced firsthand that in fratricidal wars, it is workers who fall first. And we understand that real peace is not sealed by wishful thinking—it is secured by the vigilance of government and the continuing participation of the people.

We therefore strongly urge the immediate convening of a joint meeting of the Peace Implementing Panels of the GRP and the MILF to resolve outstanding issues, rebuild confidence, and return the peace process to its rightful track.

We likewise call on Malacañang—particularly Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Anton Lagdameo and OPAPRU Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr.—to abandon divide-and-rule tactics that only deepen mistrust and risk reigniting conflict in Mindanao. Such an approach undermines not just the peace process but also the stability of the entire country.

For the labor movement, peace is not optional—it is fundamental. War is anathema to our very DNA. In every conflict, it is always the working class—whether among civilians or combatants—who bear the heaviest burdens of violence, displacement, and loss.

It is therefore imperative that the peace process is preserved, strengthened, and advanced. The future of Mindanao, and indeed the whole nation, depends on it.