Cagayan de Oro City—At least 34,000 members of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) from various parts of Northern Mindanao gathered at Plaza Divisoria, the designated area for the National Peace Rally. Large LCD screens were erected in several locations to allow the crowd to watch the main rally held at Quirino Grandstand in Manila.

Wearing white shirts and brandishing tarpaulins, streamers, and waving green flags, the INC members marched from the Oro de Oro Boulevard, the designated parking area for the estimated 2,000 marked vehicles.

Nick Jabagat, head of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department, estimated the crowd at Plaza Divisoria at around 16,000. However, as the rally site filled to capacity, many participants had to spill over into adjacent closed streets to join the event.

INC leaders confirm 34,000 participants registered during the rally

Mayor Rolando “Klarex” Uy issued an executive order on Sunday suspending classes in public schools and work at City Hall as 30,000 members of the Iglesia ni Cristo converged in the city for the National Peace Rally at Plaza Divisoria.

Jun Actub, spokesperson for the mayor, explained that the suspension of classes and City Hall work was due to road closures and the temporary jamming of cellphone signals for eight hours.

The executive order applied only to public schools and City Hall workers. Private schools and firms were given the discretion to decide whether to continue or suspend classes and work-related activities.

"The mayor just want to ensure that students and government workers will be affected by the rally," Actub said.

The city had earlier issued a no-signal advisory from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Divisoria area on Monday during the nationwide peace rally of the INC.