September 22, 2025
MANILA – Emotions ran high as tens of thousands of people staged protests in various parts of Metro Manila on Sunday, Sept. 21.
The demonstrations were held on the anniversary of the declaration of martial law under the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. in September 1972.
The number of people joining “Baha sa Luneta” (Flood in Luneta) reached 80,000 in an hour.
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In the morning, all eyes were in Manila, particularly at the Baha sa Luneta protest that centered exactly in Rizal Park, where the country’s national hero Jose Rizal was executed on Dec. 30, 1986.
Hundreds of protesters — composed of various attendees from first-time rallyists to members of sectoral groups, lawmakers, and celebrities such as Jodi Sta. Maria and Angel Aquino — trooped to the pedestrian crossing right in front of the Rizal Monument.
The protest focused on condemning the anomalies in flood control projects and calling for accountability for the personalities involved in the developing controversies.
Demonstrators also called for accountability of corrupt politicians; disclosure of statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth; and the signing of bank secrecy waivers of all government officials.
Bayan, one of the organizers, estimated the number of people who attended the demonstration at 80,000 just an hour after the main program started at 9 a.m.
The rally in Luneta ended at around 1 p.m., as some participants marched towards Mendiola, near Malacañang, to conclude their protest.
Their goal? To charge President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., whom they tagged as the “OG (original) nepo-baby.”
Other participants, on the other hand, started heading straight to the EDSA People Power Monument in Quezon City.
Trillion Peso March
Along Edsa, the protest dubbed the “Trillion Peso March” started at 2 p.m., but various groups began gathering along White Plains Avenue in Quezon City near the EDSA People Power Monument as early as 8 a.m.
The groups joined together for a mass ahead of an anti-corruption protest.
Before the mass, the groups practiced their chants for the Sunday afternoon protest. “Don’t steal our taxes!” they cried.
The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) said between 4,000 and 10,000 people were expected to gather at the monument for the anti-corruption protest.
But as of 4 p.m., the crowd estimate reached around 15,000, based on QCPD’s data. The count decreased by 5 p.m. after the protest concluded.
Among the celebrities who joined the protest are Elijah Canlas, Iza Calzado and Vice Ganda as well as musical artists Ben&Ben and Noel Cabangon.
During the program, Vice Ganda even challenged President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to hold government officials tied to the anomalies of flood control projects accountable and put them behind bars.
He likewise called for the return of the death penalty for these officials.
The demonstration will be led by church leaders, civil society organizations, educational institutions, and lawmakers, as well as some former government officials.
Most of the groups that took part in the protest at Luneta also joined the gathering at EDSA, which means more participants are expected at the “Trillion Peso March” in Quezon City.
Other areas
Meanwhile, several demonstrations were also held in other parts of the country, including in Baguio City, where a local demonstration was held at Malcolm Square.
Protests were also held in Olongapo City and Davao City. /apl /gsg