The Rizal Monument at Luneta (left) and the EDSA People Power Monument (right) serve as the twin stages of the Sept. 21, 2025 rallies, “Baha sa Luneta” in the morning and the “Trillion Peso March” in the afternoon, where church leaders and civil society groups will gather to demand transparency and accountability in government spending. – Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons / Creative Commons
Church leaders and civil society groups will lead two major rallies in Metro Manila on Sept. 21, 2025, “Baha sa Luneta” and the “Trillion Peso March” at EDSA, highlighting corruption issues while echoing the historical significance of Martial Law’s anniversary.
MANILA — The Philippines is bracing for a major day of protest on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, as church leaders and civil society groups mount two landmark gatherings in Metro Manila to demand transparency and accountability in government spending.
In the morning, student groups and reform advocates will open the day with “Baha sa Luneta: Aksyon na Laban sa Korapsyon” at Rizal Park. Organizers say the rally, starting at 9:00 a.m., will combine prayers, testimonies, and cultural presentations to symbolize both the literal devastation of floods and the figurative flood of public outrage over alleged anomalies in flood-control projects.
By the afternoon, focus shifts to Quezon City for the “Trillion Peso March” at the EDSA People Power Monument, scheduled 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.. This assembly, convened by the Church Leaders Council for National Transformation (CLCNT), carries the symbolic weight of EDSA as the country’s historic stage for peaceful uprisings.
The CLCNT, joined by Caritas Philippines and the Archdiocese of Manila, has positioned the protest as a non-partisan call for moral governance. “Let us wear white as a symbol of unity and hope. Sama-sama nating ipakita na di kailanman katanggap-tanggap ang korapsyon,” said Bishop Colin Bagaforo. Fr. Albert Delvo, also of the CLCNT, underscored that the agenda is reform, not political upheaval: “Hindi nasa loob ng agenda namin na pauwiin ang dating Pangulong Duterte… Hindi rin kasama na patalsikin si Mr. Marcos… Absolutely no.”
Civil society groups, including Tindig Pilipinas, Akbayan, and youth networks such as Taumbayan Ayaw sa Magnanakaw (Tama Na), are providing much of the grassroots mobilization. Their demands extend beyond flood-control anomalies to include greater transparency in officials’ Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs), online disclosure of government contracts, and stronger oversight powers for investigative bodies.
Universities in Metro Manila and beyond have also signaled support, urging students and faculty to participate as part of a broader civic duty.
Historical significance of Sept. 21
The rallies are deliberately set on Sept. 21, a date etched in Philippine history.
On Sept. 21, 1972, then-President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. signed Proclamation No. 1081 placing the entire country under Martial Law, ushering in nearly a decade of authoritarian rule marked by arrests, censorship, and human rights abuses. Although the proclamation was publicly announced on Sept. 23, Marcos admitted he chose Sept. 21 for its symbolic resonance.
Since his ouster in 1986, the date has been observed annually by human rights groups, student organizations, and civic networks as a day of remembrance and protest. By anchoring their call for transparency and accountability to this historic date, organizers of the “Baha sa Luneta” and the “Trillion Peso March” are linking today’s corruption controversies to a longer struggle against abuse of power and lack of accountability.
Nationwide solidarity
While the Metro Manila assemblies are the focal point, organizers emphasize that Sept. 21 is a nationwide movement. Solidarity rallies are planned in Cebu (Plaza Independencia), Bohol (Plaza Rizal), General Santos (Plaza Heneral Santos), Laoag (Ilocos Norte), and San Fernando (La Union), with local convenors leading parallel actions. Smaller protests are also expected in Baguio, Cagayan de Oro, and other provincial centers.
These efforts, while smaller in scale, extend the call for accountability across the archipelago, underscoring that the movement is not confined to the capital but reflects a broad, countrywide demand for clean and transparent governance.
Security and government response
The Philippine National Police has placed the capital on full alert, deploying over 23,000 personnel nationwide, with some reports citing as many as 50,000 on standby for crowd management. Authorities say no credible threats have been identified but advise motorists to prepare for traffic rerouting around Luneta and EDSA.
Malacañang has acknowledged public outrage over alleged anomalies in public works but called on citizens to ensure the demonstrations remain peaceful. Officials stressed that the government respects the right to protest even as investigations into infrastructure spending continue.
