Civic groups unite in Manila protest vs flood control corruption

Civic groups assembled at Luneta Park, calling for accountability in government flood control projects on Sunday, September 21, 2025.

Organizers called the event the “Trillion Peso March,” aligning it with the 53rd anniversary of Martial Law, a day many use to reflect on governance and civic responsibility.

Thousands of protesters from diverse sectors gathered at Luneta Park and along Roxas Boulevard for the rally.

The participants, composed of labor unions, civic organizations, and church-based networks, organized the protest, working together to demand transparency and ethical governance.

Among the early attendees were environmental groups Greenpeace Philippines and the Panatang Luntian Coalition, women’s organizations Gabriela and Every Woman, church-based networks including Caritas Philippines and the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine de Siena, and political coalitions such as 1Sambayan and Partido Lakas Masa.

Women’s organizations, including Gabriela and Every Woman, emphasized the social impact of infrastructure failures on vulnerable communities, advocating for policies that protect women, children, and marginalized populations.

“Sa tulong ng publiko, ilalantad at lalabanan natin ang anumang pambubudol na ginagawa sa budget. The Filipino people deserve transparency and accountability. Lahat ng sangkot, dapat manago,” Gabriela Women’s Party official statement read.

Church-based networks, including Caritas Philippines and the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine de Siena, framed their participation around ethical stewardship and community welfare, urging public officials to act with integrity.

“This 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,” the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines emphasized.

Students from across Metro Manila also joined the march.

Participants expressed frustration over alleged corruption involving billions of pesos intended for flood control projects.

“Lumalaban ako ng patas para sa mga anak ko tapos malalaman natin na ibinubulsa lang nila ang pera na dapat para sa taongbayan. Ang mga kurakot pati na ang mga pamilya nila at mga anak ang sasarap ng buhay nila habang kami hirap na hirap na parang kami pa ang nagtutustos ng mga lavish lifestyle nila,” a solo parent protester said.

Authorities monitored the rally closely, reporting that it proceeded without major incidents aside from minor traffic disruptions along the protest route.

Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Lieutenant General Jose Melencio Nartatez assured the people’s right to assemble would be respected nonetheless.

“The presence of your PNP in the protest sites is to ensure the safety of everybody – nothing more, nothing less. And they are all directed to implement the security measures from the first person to arrive in the protest sites, up to the last person to leave. Our goal is to ensure that today’s activities are peaceful, orderly, and safe for everybody,” he said.

Meanwhile, supporters of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. also staged a separate rally, led by the September Twenty-One People’s Movement Against Corruption, a coalition of pro-administration civic and reform-oriented groups.

The “Pro-PBBM and Anti-Corruption Peace Rally” took place at 4:00 PM along Morayta and marched toward Mendiola, following the route of previous mass actions.

Protestors for this rally aim to back Marcos’s anti-corruption campaign and push for the prosecution of officials and private contractors linked to allegedly flawed infrastructure and flood control projects.

“This is not just about politics. This is a movement to restore faith in governance,” Filipinos Do Not Yield Movement Jose Antonio stated.