Poll: Most Pinoys back anti-graft protest

By Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio, Reporter

MOST Filipinos backed a recent anti‑corruption protest over alleged irregularities in flood control projects, pollster WR Numero said on Tuesday, as reports of wrongdoing linked to anomalous infrastructure deals continue to fuel discontent against the government.

In a statement, WR Numero said 58% of Filipinos supported the Nov. 30 protest against widespread corruption, with 12% saying they were “strongly supportive” and 46% “supportive.”

About 18% of respondents said they did not support the movement, according to a poll of 1,412 Filipinos conducted from Nov. 21 to 28, with an error margin of ±2.8 points. About two in 10 were unsure.

“Support for the protests signals accumulated frustrations,” Ederson DT. Tapia, a public administration professor at the University of Makati, said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

“While the government has taken visible steps to address issues such as corruption and improve service delivery, many citizens still feel a gap between policy intent and lived experience,” he added.

Thousands of Filipinos marched through the streets of Manila and Quezon City to denounce corruption in the government on Nov. 30, with some protesters calling for the resignations of officials linked to the multibillion-peso scandal.

The flood control controversy has struck a chord with Filipinos due to the scale of the fraud and the shock over collusion among politicians and contractors to pocket billions of pesos meant for infrastructure projects widely seen as a need in the flood-prone country.

Mr. Tapia noted that while support for the anti‑corruption movement remains strong, organizers should sustain momentum by broadening their calls and linking the campaign to other issues.

“We must avoid the temptation to view public sentiment through a single-issue lens,” he said. “Corruption is important, but citizens also care deeply about economic stability, job creation and the country’s long-term development trajectory.”

“Rally support can be strong, but sustaining momentum requires recognizing the full spectrum of public concerns,” he added.