On September 21st, the largest protest broke out in the Philippines in recent years. More than 20 cities across the country were in chaos, and the vicinity of the presidential palace in Manila, the capital, was burned into flames.

The unknown whereabouts of President Marcos make the situation even more confusing. This nationwide protest caused by corruption is profoundly shaking the political and social stability of the Philippines.

The cause of the protests was a flood protection engineering scandal involving massive corruption by the Marcos government, which, according to reports, resulted in fund losses of up to 545 billion Philippine pesos.

This scandal not only angered the people, but also reminded people of the dictatorship and corruption of the old Marcos era. Every year, the Philippines holds commemorative activities on this day, and this year, the exposure of corruption scandals has made this anniversary a flashpoint of protests.

Nearly 50,000 people gathered in Manila Bram Park that morning and 13,000 people gathered in front of the People¡¯s Power Monument in Queensland in the afternoon. At the same time, protests were held in more than 20 cities across the country, forming the climax of the ¡°trillion pesos march.¡±

According to Philippine media reports, protests in the presidential palace of Maracanã have rapidly escalated into riots on the street of Mendiola. Protesters hand-held sticks, threw stones, bottles and burning bombs at police, and burned a trailer. The Alai bridge in front of the presidential palace was blocked so water could not leak, burning tires and thick smoke covered the entire area.

The police were forced to stand in teams and raise shields to defend, and eventually used tear gas to disperse the crowd. The riot resulted in some 39 law enforcement officers being injured and a police motorcycle being burned. However, the protesters shouted "Let us in" with the apparent intention of storming the presidential palace. At the height of the riots, the whereabouts of President Marcos became a mystery.

The U.S. media that it was not clear whether he was in the presidential office, and there were no public statements.This lack of leadership has further aggravated public dissatisfaction and raised questions about the ability of the Marcos government to respond.

Faced with this situation, the Marcos government tried to draw a clear line between the riots in front of the presidential palace and the "trillion-peso *". The violent protest in front of the presidential palace was suggested that it might be controlled by "extraterritorial forces". Some of the protesters held high black flags of skeletons and crossed bones cartoons, which are considered symbols of western pirate culture. However, the government's accusation did not provide sufficient evidence, nor did it divert people's attention from corruption.

Corruption has occurred frequently in the Philippines for a long time, but the senior officials involved are rarely punished by law. In this incident, Marcos' cousin, former Speaker of the House of Representatives Romualdez, was exposed to the corruption case, but tried to evade accountability by resigning. If the government continues to avoid core issues and even shield relatives involved in corruption, this political crisis may further ferment.

The protests were not only an expression of anger over the corruption of flood protection engineering, but also a general outbreak of long-standing institutional corruption by the people of the Philippines. Similar protests in history have led to the fall of the old Marcos regime. Though this event would not necessarily lead directly to Marcos's resignation, it has deeply shaken the social stability and political ecology of the Philippines.

The international community is also closely watching the situation in the Philippines. The Marcos government has tried to attribute the riots to external forces, but has not yet provided evidence, while the Philippines¡¯ neighbors and international organizations, such as Transparency International and the Asian Development Bank, may put more pressure on corruption issues.

When the smoke of tear gas clears, what is left in the Philippines is not only burnt tires and broken shields, but also deep public disappointment with institutional corruption. If the Marcos government fails to face up to people's demands and take transparent and accountable measures, the political tsunami in the Philippines may be difficult to quell. The fire in front of the presidential palace may be a harbinger of a bigger crisis.