From Resilience to Resistance: How Filipino Youth are Redefining the Fight Against Corruption

Every year, headlines praise the resilience of Filipinos as they endure yet another supertyphoon. True enough, resilience has long been a national badge of honour. But what happens when that resilience is tested not by nature, but by greed? This time, the youth says: Enough is enough. And they’ve taken it to the streets.

A recent exposé uncovered massive corruption in flood-control projects worth over ₱545-billion pesos. At the center of the scandal are contractors accused of cutting corners with substandard builds or inventing ghost projects in exchange for kickbacks. These unleashed protests throughout Metro Manila last September 21, coinciding with the 53rd anniversary of the imposition of Martial Law.

Amid the protests, the Filipino youth have been quick to name and shame “nepo babies,” who are the privileged children of political dynasties. They criticise them for flaunting private jets, designer bags, and overseas getaways at the expense of taxpayer pockets. Their critique has not spared the president himself, who is the son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, as he claimed he would have joined the protests if he could. For the youth on the streets, such words mean little while the Marcos family’s P203 billion in estate taxes remains unsettled– a reminder that accountability remains as the bigger battle Filipinos have to fight.

On the streets, dissent has taken creative forms: memes, satire, and pop culture references have become the universal language of resistance. In a country so divided, young people are finding common ground in challenging the systemic giants that have long underestimated their power to mobilise and demand change.

With another supertyphoon looming, the question is no longer about survival or resilience. It is about what comes next, and how a generation determined to see the day after tomorrow will shape it.

Revolutionising Youth Media