Manila — Climate-impacted communities, together with Greenpeace Philippines, the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center (LRC), and allied organizations today joined nationwide calls to end corruption, and to demand that the government hold accountable corrupt officials and contractors, as well as polluting corporations who knowingly profit from making the climate crisis worse for Filipinos.

In a press conference this morning in Manila, the groups presented the People’s Declaration for Climate Justice: End Corruption and Hold Polluters Accountable, a statement of solidarity with millions of Filipinos who are set to rally to demand accountability on Sunday, September 21. The declaration arose from public anger over massive corruption in flood control projects, even as extreme weather submerged dozens of provinces, including Metro Manila. Estimates by Greenpeace show that since 2023, as much as PHP 1.089 trillion in climate funds may have been lost to corruption—while hundreds of communities suffered repeated disasters over the years.1 The groups further called on the government to hold fossil fuel corporations accountable, recognizing that their greed has led to, and continues to exacerbate the climate crisis.

“The People’s Declaration is the voice from frontline communities and various civil society groups who are joining millions of Filipinos in expressing outrage over the flagrant plunder of public funds meant to keep Filipinos safe,” Greenpeace Senior Climate Campaigner Virginia Benosa-Llorin said. “This is happening as large oil and gas corporations continue to pollute the planet with impunity, destroying the climate and threatening the lives of millions of people. This declaration is a call for justice: we want a country free of corruption, with a government uncompromising in its demand for accountability from those who profit from climate destruction.”

The declaration, which was signed by more than 20 organizations and counting, demands the Philippine government to ensure transparency, accountability, and people-powered governance; to protect nature and build resilience; and to hold climate polluters to account.2

“By uniting these demands, the declaration reframes corruption and climate destruction as interconnected injustices that demand urgent accountability,” said Atty. Mai Taqueban, Executive Director of LRC. “Filipinos face not just extreme weather, but also systemic corruption that turns vital climate projects into unfulfilled promises and hollow rhetoric. As climate impacts intensify, the country’s ability to adapt is weakened by plunder.”

“It is bad enough that glaring poverty of half of our population contrasts sharply with the wealth, lifestyle and political power of billionaires and millionaires in this country—even worse to know that the urgent and inexorable pace of the climate crisis threatens humanity and our planet Earth unless checked soon,” said Princess Nemenzo, National Coordinator, WomanHealth Philippines. “But when we realize that our corruption has reached the level of deep, deliberate, and systematic plundering of the public treasury and people’s resources by no less than our elected representatives—a betrayal of public trust!—I believe the people’s anger and tolerance have reached their limit. In earlier centuries, people would have shouted, ‘To the guillotine!’ In this day and age, let due process take place. But, we demand decisive accountability and action NOW!”

“Paulit-ulit na pinapasan ng mga komunidad sa Pilipinas ang bagyo, baha, at tagtuyot na nagdudulot ng pagkasira ng tahanan, kabuhayan, at lalong pinapahirap ang pangaraw-araw na trabaho,” said human rights activist and community leader Glecy Naquita. “Kaming mga karaniwang manggagawa ang nagugutom at humaharap sa hirap araw-araw samantalang ang pinakamalalaking polluters at mandarambong—mga fossil fuel corporation, kontratista, at maduruming pulitiko—ay lalo pang nagpapalala ng klima, sinasabotahe ang ating kakayahang makaagapay sa sakuna, habang ligtas sa pa rin sila pananagutan at lalo pang yumayaman. Kailangang mapanagot ang mga politiko at mga kapitalista na sangkot sa pandarambong na naging sanhi ng kalamidad tulad ng bagyo, baha at iba pa.”

The launch of the declaration was followed by the Draw the Line Global Week of Action3 event at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, where students, youth, civil society and environmental groups held a demonstration for rights, jobs, justice, democracy and a fulfilling life on a safe planet. Both events sought to amplify the call for transparency, accountability, and justice, driven first and foremost by the voices of those living with the daily costs of climate change and corruption.

Notes to the Editor:

[1] Notes to editors

[2] The declaration outlines the following demands:

  • Ensure Transparency, Accountability, and People-Powered Governance: Investigate corruption in flood-control and climate projects; bring to justice every official, contractor, and network involved; enforce full transparency in government spending and contracts; guarantee public access to all climate and adaptation data; institutionalize public participation in climate decision-making.
  • Protect Nature and Build Resilience: Shift from “gray” concrete to green, community-led solutions; protect forests, watersheds, and coasts; stop destructive mining, quarrying, and reclamation; ban single-use plastics to unclog waterways and prevent deadly floods.
  • Hold Climate Polluters to Account: Phase out fossil fuels; make polluters pay for loss and damage; enact policies that hold climate-destroying corporations accountable.

    Read the full declaration: https://bit.ly/peoplesdeclarationforcj

3] https://drawtheline.world/?r=PH&d=00&lang=en

Link to photos: https://act.gp/declarationphotos

For requests for interviews and other information, please contact:

Karl Orit, Communications Campaigner
Greenpeace Southeast Asia – Philippines
[email protected] | +63 919 4571064