The recent revelations of widespread corruption in flood control projects in the Philippines have exposed the entrenched rot of bureaucrat capitalism that has long plagued the nation. Billions (if not trillions) of pesos allocated for infrastructure meant to protect vulnerable communities from natural disasters have been siphoned off through kickbacks and ghost projects, leaving the masses to bear the brunt of the reactionary state’s negligence.

This scandal has ignited a wave of public outrage, reminiscent of the First Quarter Storm of the 1970s, as youth and working-class Filipinos take to the streets demanding accountability and systemic change. This flood control scandal has served as a catalyst, uniting the democratic classes and sectors in Philippine society in a collective call for justice and accountability.

It is crucial to recognize that the recent demonstrations are not merely a response to isolated incidents of corruption but a manifestation of deeper structural issues. The Philippines remains a semicolonial and semifeudal society, where political power is concentrated in the hands of the big comprador bourgeoisie and the landlord class. The state functions as an instrument to maintain the dominance of these ruling classes and to perpetuate a system that benefits US imperialist interests over the welfare of the masses.

This resurgence of mass mobilization is not isolated to the Philippines. In Indonesia, protests erupted over the revelation that lawmakers were receiving exorbitant allowances, including a monthly housing stipend of 50 million rupiah (approximately $3,000), while austerity measures were imposed on the general populace. The government’s initial response was to suppress dissent through violent means, resulting in at least six deaths. Similarly, in Nepal, a wave of protests erupted in response to systemic corruption and the government’s failure to address economic inequality. The state’s fascist response led to the killings of at least 51 youth and student protesters.

In the Philippines, the peoples’ outrage is met with repression and increasing militarization. The Marcos Jr. regime has intensified militarization and repression to quell protests, while deepening its military ties with the US through the creation of new military bases, constant war exercises, and various defense cooperation agreements. This alignment with US imperial interests further undermines national sovereignty and exacerbates the semicolonial and semifeudal conditions that continue to oppress the Filipino people.

The current political climate in the Philippines is marked by deepening elite corruption, chronic state repression, and increasing subservience to US imperialist interests. The flood control scandal coupled with persistent poverty, landlessness, and joblessness have inevitably exposed the rot of bureaucrat capitalism and pushed ordinary Filipinos to go into the streets to express their outrage, and many others to take up arms.

These objective conditions, coupled with the growing political consciousness of the people, present a critical opportunity to transform popular unrest into a revolutionary upsurge. The challenge now is to harness this anger, organize the masses in their thousands, and turn this burgeoning discontent into a mass revolutionary force capable of overthrowing the semicolonial and semifeudal system that has long oppressed and exploited the Filipino people.