MORE than 30,000 people are expected to join the “Trillion Peso March” on Sunday, Sept. 21, amid growing outrage over widespread corruption in government-funded flood control projects.
In a series of mass demonstrations organized by church groups, civil society organizations, labor unions and political coalitions, thousands of protesters will demand accountability and an end to widespread corruption.
The main event, organizers said, would be held at the People Power Monument on EDSA, with different groups marching to converge there at 2 p.m.
Kiko Aquino-Dee, a co-convenor of Tindig Pilipinas, one of the organizers of the march, said 30,000 people are expected to join the protests.
“Last count is 30,000, but we’re preparing for much more in (the) People Power Monument,” he said.
He also said that another protest that will be held in Luneta, organized by activist and student groups, is a separate event from the one on EDSA, but the events are “in solidarity with each other.”
“The respective organizers of the two rallies planned and announced our protests independently and almost simultaneously. As plans were already set, we proceeded with separate rallies, but we are united by our call for peaceful but firm protest against corruption,” he said.
Caution urged
Malacañang on Saturday reminded the public to be wary of those who might use the Sept. 21 rallies against corruption to discredit the government and advance their personal interests.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro issued the reminder on the eve of the massive protests against corruption in infrastructure projects to be held at Luneta in Manila and the EDSA People Power Monument in Quezon City.
In a statement, Castro reiterated that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. respected the people’s right to freedom of expression but asked for public cooperation and vigilance.
The respective embassies of the United States and France, meanwhile, issued an alert, reminding their nationals to avoid demonstration areas across Metro Manila, as thousands are anticipated to march in anti-corruption rallies nationwide on Sunday.
“US citizens should avoid these demonstrations due to the potential for violence,” the US Embassy in Manila said in an advisory dated Sept. 19.
“Exercise caution when in the vicinity of any large gatherings, as even peaceful demonstrations have the potential to turn violent without warning. Follow instructions from local authorities,” it added.
A similar demonstration alert calling for vigilance among French nationals in the Philippines was posted by the French Embassy in Manila on Friday.
The Philippine National Police and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said they will work closely together to maintain order, safety and accessibility in Metro Manila throughout the protest. Motorists not joining the rally are advised to avoid affected areas and take alternate routes.
The PNP on Saturday vowed full support to President Marcos’ call for peaceful and lawful assemblies, as it deployed more than 50,000 personnel nationwide to secure upcoming protest rallies on Sunday.
President Marcos earlier said he recognized the anger and frustration of citizens over corruption scandals, stressing that the people have the right to assemble and express themselves, provided it is done peacefully and within the bounds of law.
Acting PNP chief LtGen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. assured the public that the police are ready to protect communities and maintain order during the demonstrations.
“We fully support the President’s statement. The PNP respects the right of every citizen to express themselves in a peaceful manner. At the same time, we will not allow any individual or group to take advantage of the situation to sow disorder and violence,” Nartatez said.
He emphasized that police officers will exercise maximum tolerance but warned that violations of the law and acts that endanger lives and property will be met with firm enforcement.
Legal and political accountability
The goal of the “Trillion Peso” protest is mainly to demand legal and political accountability, particularly for those profiting off flood control funds.
“We’re calling for accountability for all cases of corruption across all branches of government and all past and present administrations,” Aquino-Dee said.
“We want to see legal accountability: strong cases filed, jail time, and a guilty verdict. We also want political accountability: kick the rascals out in 2028,” he added.
Aquino-Dee also clarified that people can call out any politician’s name, but discouraged anyone from voicing support for any political agenda.
He also said they oppose attempts to “gloss over” the corruption of the previous administration, amid a separate protest organized involving supporters of former president Rodrigo Duterte.
“People have the right to protest for whatever cause they wish to support. If they are also calling for accountability for corruption across all administrations, we support it, but we oppose any attempt to gloss over the corruption and abuses of the Duterte administration,” Aquino-Dee said.
He also said the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) needs to deliver before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. can turn around on the corruption over the first three years of his administration.
“The ICI needs to deliver before Marcos can begin to turn around on the corruption of the last three years, much less the corruption of his father [Ferdinand Marcos Sr.], which we remember tomorrow on the anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law,” Aquino-Dee said.
“We want to see the ICI given contempt powers to ensure that high officials cooperate with its investigation. We expect it to file strong cases against high officials involved within the next six months. And we want implicated officials to face political accountability. The people must reject them when they return to us for re-election in 2028,” he said.
Organizers of the event urged participants to wear white, saying there is “no color in corruption.”
“White represents unity: we’re not supporting any political faction. It also represents purity, the opposite of corruption,” Aquino-Dee said.
Calls for support
On Saturday, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) called on the faithful to join the protest.
In a statement, CBCP President Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David said the gathering “is not a political spectacle” but a moral stand.
“It is a moment of prayer, solidarity and action against the entrenched culture of corruption that robs our people of dignity, deepens poverty, and betrays our future,” he said.
David also invited people outside Metro Manila to join prayer rallies organized by the church and other civil society organizations ”as a sign of solidarity in this nationwide day of peaceful witness.”
He cautioned against those who would “exploit our outrage for selfish gain” and reminded the country’s leaders that accountability must be pursued “through due process, within the bounds of our Constitution and the rule of law.”
“Our purpose is not to destabilize but to strengthen our democracy,” David said.
The nation’s largest labor movement, the Nagkaisa Labor Coalition, also called on Filipinos to join the mobilization on EDSA on Sunday to “manifest strong people’s protest against corruption and to demand genuine accountability from those who plundered public funds.”
“The trillions of pesos poured into flood control projects and other infrastructure that went instead to senators, members of the House, DPWH officials, and their cohorts in business and the private sector is abominable. These repeated acts are shocking to conscience and must end — and end now,” the labor group said on Saturday.
Other labor groups are also taking part and made their own calls for participation.
Baha sa Luneta
Meanwhile, one of the proponents of another protest rally on Sunday warned people against those who would use the flood control issues for personal gain.
“The people should be wary against those who are out there, and will use the controversy to push for their personal motives,” Teddy Casiño of Bayan Muna said at the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.
He noted that the “Baha sa Luneta” rally is not calling for any resignation but to express the people’s disappointment and anger over the anomalous dealings involving flood control projects worth billions of pesos.
Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said he will personally monitor operations starting 4 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 21, from Kartilya ng Katipunan beside City Hall as the capital braces for the “Trillion Peso March” anti-corruption protest.
The local government of Manila said that mayor will personally lead the supervision of 14 teams to be deployed in strategic areas around Luneta Park and nearby districts to ensure public safety and traffic management.
The Manila Public Information Office released a route advisory detailing road closures and rerouting schemes near Luneta, Roxas Boulevard, Padre Burgos Avenue, and Maria Orosa Street.
New protesters
Political analyst Ronald Llamas, meanwhile, said they expect many people who did not participate in rallies before, to join the EDSA mass action.
“We are surprised that some groups or people, who do not care about such issues before, to participate on Sunday. It will be a mixture of old (protesters) and new ones,” he said.
Llamas said he hopes that the initial action taken by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. against those involved in the flood control mess would have a logical conclusion.
EDSA Shrine
For the Trillion Peso March, the day’s activities will begin at 8 a.m. at the People Power Monument, where participants will assemble. The initial gathering will see the organizers and protesters convening at Camp Aguinaldo before marching together — with drummers leading the way — to the main site at the monument.
There, the Siklab Program will officially open the event, followed by a Mass and a continuation of speeches and activities into late morning.
As midday approaches, attention will shift towards the EDSA Shrine, where a march to the People Power Monument is planned.
The afternoon features the “Trillion Peso Program,” which will begin with a performance by bands.
This will segue into a series of cultural presentations, timed to coincide with the arrival of marchers from the EDSA Shrine.
The program will then continue with contributions from civil society and church groups, highlighting the unity of diverse groups in calling for transparency and justice.
Participants are encouraged to wear white ribbons throughout the day, symbolizing their shared stand against corruption.
Organizers, including church leaders like Bishop Colin Bagaforo, are calling on all Filipinos to join the day’s events, stressing the importance of collective action in the fight for accountable governance.
“We call on the Filipino people to join in the growing call for accountability in every part of the Philippines,” Bagaforo said during the organizer’s press conference on Thursday.
Aquino-Dee said the rally would be peaceful.
“We are not supportive of any kind of violent protests or regime change through extra-constitutional means,” Aquino-Dee said.
Mixed groups
Several groups, including militants and pro-Duterte supporters, were expected to join in different rallies in different areas across the country as a way to call out corruption in government.
At the Luneta, Youth groups, hip hoppers and even drag queens are expected to join flood victims, religious groups, and veteran activists in “Baha Sa Luneta” Rally organized by the militant left.
In a statement, the organizers said that that their event will be an “intergenerational and intercultural mix of Filipinos from all walks of life, all united in their anger at the flood control anomalies and their determination to end the corrupt system of governance in the country,”
Student leaders from Taft Avenue, University Belt and Katipunan will join Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Co on stage, while rappers Supafly, Morobeats, Vitrum were set to share the stage with former budget undersecretary Cielo Magno.
Performers from the Concerned Artists of the Philippines, Philippine Educational Theater Association and bands, such as The Jerks and Musikang Bayan, will also appear, as well as civic artist Mae Paner as Juana Change.
Drag queens Pura Luka, Gabriela She Lang and Maria Cristina lead the Harong Queens in performing, while Ms. Earth Philippines Joy Barcoma will lead volunteers in cleaning up after the rally.
The pro-Duterte Hakbang ng Maisug, on the other hand, was slated to hold their own rally at the Liwasang Bonifacio at 1 p.m. led by former executive secretary Victor Rodriguez. They said that this is now the time to “express outrage over the shameless plunder of the national coffers by our most powerful officials.”
Outside Metro Manila
Catholic schools in Cebu are showing support for the nationwide protest set for Sept. 21.
Saint Theresa’s College (STC), the University of San Carlos (USC), and the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) each issued advisories urging their students and communities to participate in prayer rallies and symbolic actions against corruption.
STC invited Theresians to a prayer rally on Sunday, Sept. 21, beginning at 2:30 p.m. at the school’s Mango Avenue Gate 5.
The procession will proceed to Plaza Independencia, where a Mass is scheduled at 5:30 p.m.
“The past teaches us not to forget. The present calls us to act with courage. The future depends on what we do today,” the school said, calling for a stand “for truth, for justice, and for the Philippines.”
USC, meanwhile, encouraged its students to wear white on Monday, Sept. 22, in solidarity with the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) and other groups advocating accountability.
“Together, let us be witnesses to truth and agents of change,” USC’s advisory stated.
Youth, civic and business groups, and fraternities in Pampanga, meanwhile, planned a protest march Sunday in Angeles City, and called out to “jail the corrupt” in commemoration of the anniversary of the declaration of martial law.
The mobilization of some 1,000 members of people’s organizations, student councils, and fraternities will begin with a 3 p.m. assembly at Nepo Quad Complex, followed by a protest march on major roads in the business district and which will end with a brief program on the Heritage Street, Sto. Entierro, fronting the cathedral.
“We raise our voices against the unbridled corruption that has bled our nation dry of trillions of pesos, stolen from the sweat and sacrifice of the Filipino people,” Liza Ocampo-Pulido, co-convenor of the Kilusan Kontra Kúrakot–Pampanga, said.
Health reminders
The Department of Health (DOH) urged participants to prioritize safety as thousands were expected to attend the “Trillion Peso March” mass gathering at Luneta Park and EDSA Shrine on Sunday.
Health Secretary Ted Herbosa warned of the risks associated with large crowds.
“When you have many people in one place, there’s a health risk,” said Herbosa, citing past incidents of crowd crush, stampedes, and health emergencies at mass events.
The DOH reminded those who plan to attend the protest to check weather forecasts, bring essentials like face masks, hand sanitizer, a fan, water, a hat, a towel, and maintenance medicines; eat a sufficient meal before leaving; wear light, comfortable clothing; and ensure that their cellphone is fully charged.
WITH PNA
