Thousands ‘Trillion Peso March’ crowd mark Martial Law anniv at EDSA

Thousands of Filipinos marched to the EDSA People Power Monument on Sunday, September 21, to mark the 53rd anniversary of Martial Law and to protest the country’s biggest corruption scandal in decades.

The “Trillion Peso March” was deliberately held on the date late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. declared Martial Law in 1972, linking past abuses of power with present-day corruption.

Protesters came from various groups, including church organizations, youth groups, labor unions, and civic associations, filling White Plains Avenue despite heavy rains.

Authorities were forced to declare road closures by mid-afternoon as demonstrators occupied both sides of the historic EDSA landmark.

Outside Metro Manila, simultaneous mobilizations were also held in at least a dozen cities nationwide.

The rally was sparked by revelations that billions of pesos in flood-control funds were siphoned off through ghost projects and kickbacks over the past 15 years.

While focused on the flood-control scandal, protesters also called for accountability in the use of confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President.

The program opened with performances and interfaith prayers, followed by testimonies from flood victims under the segment “Sobra Na!”

Volunteers distributed raincoats, food, and bottled water to participants, while residents near the protest site opened their homes to provide restrooms and shelter. Human rights groups stressed the significance of the date, citing more than 11,000 officially recognized victims of torture, killings, and disappearances during Martial Law.