Philippine protests: 'Tax ng Ina Mo, Bantayan Mo!' rap song sparks new wave of vigilance

Manila: “Tax ng Ina Mo”, a protest rap, is blowing up online.

It’s become an instant hit amid the obscene plunder of taxpayers' money in this Asian nation.

Cielo Magno and Jake Regala dropped a fiery Filipino rap remix earlier, and performed it during one of the protests held across multiple cities on Sunday (September 21, 2025). 

The rap song, literally "Your Mother's Tax", is cheeky spin on a Filipino curse, swapping “tax” for the Tagalog swear word. 

The rap slams massive corruption unearthed during a livestreamed probe on flood-control projects and the misuse of taxpayers’ money.

Spotlight on scams

Citizens shouting, “Tax ng Ina Mo, Bantayan Mo!” shines a spotlight on scams, spark outrage, and make corruption costly. 

Months before the flood control scandal made waves, “Tax ng Ina Mo” was already splashing around with the same theme — corruption and the never-ending fiesta of patronage politics.

Penned by Cielo Magno and musician Jake Regala, the tune doesn’t just tickle the ear.

It nudges taxpayers to keep their eyes open and wallets guarded, reminding everyone to watch where every hard-earned peso goes once it lands in government hands.

Who is Cielo Magno who appeared in the video?

She’s a social-media denizen, a prominent Filipino economist, part-time musician and former Finance Undersecretary. 

Regala is a composer, poet and musician.

Magno’s performance was part of the "Trillion Peso March", a series of mass demonstrations held on September 21, 2025, in response to alleged corruption in government flood control infrastructure projects.

Citizen vigilance

Magno’s rap emphasises the need for accountability and vigilance among taxpayers, resonating with the march’s call for action against corruption.

The event at Rizal Park, dubbed “Baha sa Luneta: Aksyon na Laban sa Korapsyon”, saw tens of thousands of Filipinos protesting peacefully, though some arrests were made among protesters who tried to push their way through anti-riot police towards the presidential palace, reflecting the tension and urgency of the issue.

The rap, more than a banger, is a battle cry.

The Senate hearings show that as much as 60% of infrastructure funds could go to “commissions” and off-the-books payments to legislators, public works officials, auditors and others. The pie-sharing varies depending on the level of greed.

Holding officials accountable 

The hook, “Tax ng Ina Mo, Bantayan Mo!” screams: “Your taxes, your duty — watch where they go.” 

It’s about holding officials accountable. Ex-audit chief Heidi Mendoza even used it in her Senate run: “Where’d your tax money vanish?”

It key message: "Your hard-earned cash funds roads, schools, hospitals. No oversight? Corruption creeps in — funds get siphoned, cronies get rich, projects flop. Citizens gotta stay awake, or tax money turns into someone’s yacht money."

Last week, amid the probe into flood control mess, corruptoin charges were filed against 20 DPWH officials and five contractors, more than 700 bank accounts had been frozen by the country's anti money-laundering council.

Based on estimates revealed at Senate inquiries, as much as Php1.089 trillion ($19 billion) of the government’s climate-tagged expenditures could have potentially been lost to corruption since 2023, including Php560 billion ($9.8 billion) in 2025 alone.

Magno’s background as an advocate for social and economic justice, coupled with her academic and policy expertise, adds credibility and a unique voice to the protest movement.

The protests, organised by church groups, civil society organisations, labour unions, and political coalitions, highlight the significant economic loss due to corruption in flood control projects over the last two years.

The protests are part of a larger regional trend of public outrage against government corruption and inequality.