There are about 83 organizations coming from all sectors of society that are in unison against corruption and in defense of good governance that will be at the People Power Monument at the corner of EDSA and White Plains Drive this afternoon.

Organizers encouraged Filipinos to participate by wearing white and tying white ribbons on their cars and homes as symbols of unity and resistance.

Parallel protest actions are scheduled at Rizal Park in Manila and other parts of the country.

The activity dubbed the “Trillion Peso March” and spearheaded by the Church Leaders Council for National Transformation (CLCNT), supported by ANIM and retired MUP together with civil society organizations, among others, is expected to spark changes in the Philippine government and society.

The Trillion Peso March was organized in response to the corruption in government flood control and other projects.

Among the goals of the movement are institutional reforms, transparency and accountability in government spending. Accordingly, the demonstrations would focus on allegations of massive irregularities in flood control programs, where some ₱P1.9 trillion (US$33 billion) was spent over the past 15 years, more than half of which was believed lost to corruption.

The 21 September demonstration holds historical significance, coinciding with the anniversary of the day in 1972 when then president Ferdinand E. Marcos imposed martial law.

It was a massive people power movement in 1986 that ultimately toppled Marcos from his decades-long reign, forcing him and his family to flee the country amid widespread public discontent and allegations of rampant corruption.

Public anger has been intensifying over the so-called ghost and substandard flood control projects after the current Marcos in the presidency, Ferdinand Jr., put them on center stage during his State of the Nation Address last July that was preceded and followed by weeks of deadly flooding.

Nearly 30 members of the Senate and the House of Representatives and officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways were accused by owners of construction firms of taking cash payments.

Senate President Francis Escudero’s and House Speaker Martin Romualdez’s names also came up. Escudero was ousted as Senate chief while Romualdez, a cousin of President Marcos, resigned as speaker.

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