As Metro Manila erupted in a day of protest on Sunday, a group pushing for the rights of children lamented that the P465 million worth of luxury cars owned by contractors Pacifico “Curlee” and Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya should have been used to address the shortage of classrooms in the country.

“Corruption is a direct violation of the right to survival and development of children, which is why we say that it is not just money that is being stolen, but also their future,” said Trixie Manalo, spokesperson of the organization Salinlahi.

“The budget that was supposed to be allocated for basic services like healthcare or education is just being pocketed by the greedy,” she added.

The alliance joined the “Baha sa Luneta” march in Rizal Park, Manila. They held signs showing the number of school classrooms that could be made out of the money spent by the Discayas on luxury cars.

“P465 million, 38 cars for the Discayas. That’s equivalent to 715 classrooms for the children. P465 million for 38 luxury cars, and then one out of two Filipino children has nothing to eat,” Manalo also lamented.

The Department of Education estimates a backlog of 165,000 classrooms as of 2025, attributing it to population growth and slow government construction. The Marcos administration is reeling from a corruption scandal centered on billions of pesos in questionable flood control projects.

During congressional hearings on the questioned flood control projects, the Discayas had accused over two dozen House members and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials of taking kickbacks from contractors like them.

A sacked DPWH engineer, Brice Hernandez, had also tagged Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva of fund insertions for several substandard or ghost flood control projects in Bulacan.

The scandal has already triggered leadership changes in both the Senate and the House of Representatives and fueled protest actions Sunday at the Luneta and the People Power Monument at EDSA, where thousands called for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s resignation.

Salinlahi asserted that systemic corruption directly affects Filipino children’s lives by depriving them of basic social services crucial for their development. Despite this, it said it remains hopeful for the future of Filipino children.

“The fact that thousands of people took action today, from children to adults, is proof that there is really hope and that there is always something we can do,” Manalo said.

“This day proves that our true strength is found in our collective action. Together, we will hold accountable all those who have stolen from us,” she added.

Most of the Discayas’ luxury cars had been seized by the Bureau of Customs on allegations some had been smuggled or lacking the proper documentations.