Street protests against corruption on Sept. 21 will culminate in a grand rally at the People Power Monument in the hope of reliving the “Edsa spirit” that led to the ouster of strongman Ferdinand Marcos in 1986.

But the goal is to hold erring officials accountable, not to topple President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the late dictator’s son, according to the rally organizers.

The “Trillion Peso March Against Corruption” is expected to draw crowds from a broad section of society, and is shaping up to be the biggest protest against the multibillion-peso scandal involving flood control projects.

“On Sept. 21, as we commemorate [the imposition of] martial law, let’s rekindle the spirit of Edsa,” Teresita Quintos Deles, lead convenor of Tindig Pilipinas, said in a press conference with rally organizers in Quezon City on Monday. “Let’s go back to Edsa not only to commemorate the past, but [also] to collectively and peacefully fight against the plunder of the nation’s treasury.’’

‘Tama Na’

At 9 a.m. of Sept. 21, students of the Philippines’ biggest universities will gather at Luneta Park in Manila for “Baha sa Luneta: Aksyon na Laban sa Korapsyon” before joining up with thousands of others in the Church-led rally at the People Power Monument on Edsa in Quezon City at 2 p.m.

Among the lead groups of “Baha sa Luneta” are Taumbayan Ayaw sa Magnanakaw at Abusado Network Alliance (or Tama Na), a network of organizations in schools around Taft Avenue in Manila and the Panatang Luntian Coalition composed of young environmentalists and various school councils.

“Bring your own family, work mates, friends. Bring your own umbrella, minus the Rolls Royce,” said De La Salle University professor David San Juan, a convenor of Tama Na.   

San Juan was referencing the contractor couple Curlee and Sarah Discaya’s display of a fleet of luxury cars that precipitated the congressional inquiries into the flood control racket.

“We are absolutely and unapologetically outraged by the large-scale thievery and shameless nepotism that is happening,” University of the Philippines Student Regent Dexter Clemente, one of the leaders of the walk-out protest of UP students on Sept. 12, said in a statement issued days earlier. “We also see through the hyperpartisanship of the warring factions in power, the same traditional politicians who share the common DNA of corruption for personal gain.”

Also in an earlier statement, Niña Fegi of Panatang Luntian, said: “We urge the youth and fellow advocates to join the cause. We are neither pro-Duterte nor pro-Marcos; we are the youth who care for the environment. And protecting it means holding officials accountable for plundering our nation’s resources.”

Not for overthrow  

The Trillion Peso March Against Corruption “does not include holding Mr. Marcos accountable or removing Mr. Marcos. No. It is not organized to overthrow any administration. Absolutely not,” Fr. Albert Delvo, co-convenor of the Manila Archdiocesan and Parochial Schools Association, said at Monday’s press conference. “This is about the fight against corruption.”  

The government is being rocked by allegations that certain lawmakers have been pocketing billions of pesos in kickbacks from flood control projects over the years, in cahoots with private contractors and officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways. 

These allegations are on top of revelations that administration allies in Congress made “multibillion-peso insertions” in the ₱6.352-trillion national budget for 2025.

“Can plunderers have any shame?” Kidapawan Bishop Colin Bagaforo, president of Caritas Philippines, said, reading from a joint statement. “This Imeldific level of greed coupled with tasteless, relentless and remorseless display of unexplained wealth calls us to say, Tama na (Enough)!”

“Imeldific” refers to a level of ostentation displayed by the dictator’s wife, Imelda Marcos, when she was first lady. 

The President has formed the Independent Commission for Infrastructure to investigate the corruption in public works projects, and appointed retired Supreme Court associate justice Andres Reyes to chair the three-member body.  

Protest organizers called on the public to wear a “white ribbon” to the Sept. 21 rally to show their solidarity with the Church in the fight against corruption, and to dispel talk that this is fueled by politics. 

San Juan said the protesters are demanding the abolition of “pork barrel” funds, the signing by government officials of bank secrecy waivers, a ban on contractors linked to irregularities, the online posting of government contracts, and the livestreaming of congressional budget hearings, among others.

Bagaforo, for his part, said all government officials should immediately publish their statements of assets, liabilities and net worth, that Congress make SALNs more accessible, and that the Office of the Ombudsman should stop stonewalling on the demand that these documents be publicized. 

“We call on the Filipino people to join the growing call for accountability in every part of the Philippines,” he said.

Mr. Marcos has expressed support for the protests, saying he would join the mass actions if he were not the president, and appealed to organizers to keep the activities peaceful.

No color

Victims of corruption as well as witnesses to irregularities have been invited to speak at the Church-led rally that will conclude with a call to hold erring officials accountable.

“Our movement does not favor any politician; corruption has no color,” said Francis “Kiko” Aquino Dee, spokesperson for the march against corruption. “We’re calling for accountability of all politicians, whoever they are—Marcos or Duterte. Let the truth come out.”  

More than 200 Church organizations, political parties, universities, civil society organizations, youth and student organizations have signed up for the People Power Monument rally.

Echoing Bagaforo, Dee also urged the President to rally his allies in Congress to craft legislation that will equip the independent commission with “subpoena and contempt powers” to compel the submission of testimonies and documents.

“If they’re serious about accountability, they should equip this commission with appropriate powers,” he said.

Bagaforo said that if the commission fails to address the protesters’ demands in the end, “we go back to the streets.”