Protests erupted amid public fury over rampant government corruption in the Philippines.

Hundreds of demonstrators trooped to the EDSA Shrine in Metro Manila, waving placards as they demanded accountability from officials and infrastructure contractors.

They chanted 'Don't steal our taxes!' while holding signs that read 'Hold those involved in corruption accountable!' and 'Make corrupt lawmakers pay'.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said more than 200 protesters were present, and Quezon City Police District personnel were deployed to manage traffic in the area.

Similar protests broke out across Metro Manila as outrage mounted over anomalous flood control projects in the perennially storm-battered nation.

They followed revelations by construction contractor Sarah Discaya, who told the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee last week that she owns 28 luxury vehicles, including a Rolls-Royce, Mercedes-Maybach, Bentley, and Mercedes G63.

She denied involvement in so-called 'ghost projects' and said she began securing contracts from the DPWH in 2012. She also revealed she owns nine construction firms.

President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr - himself the son of a dictator who stole some 10 billion USD from the country - has ordered a full audit of the DPWH flood control initiatives, along with lifestyle checks on officials and public disclosure of projects.

The directive came after reports of corruption, ghost projects, and disproportionate contract awards linked to flood control programmes since 2022.

Local media reported that more than 6,000 flood control projects worth 350 billion PHP (approximately 4.9 billion GBP) lacked essential details, raising concerns over transparency in government infrastructure spending.

At least 15 contractors are now under investigation after cornering a combined 545 billion PHP (approximately 7.63 billion GBP) program budget.