By Miguel Manotok

By Rhianna Ramos

On Sunday, November 30, thousands of Filipinos gathered at the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) People Power Monument for the second “Trillion Peso March,” a nationwide demonstration calling for accountability over alleged large-scale corruption involving more than P1 trillion in stolen public funds.

The movement was organized by civic groups, youth advocates, and workers’ alliances; and the rally drew participants from across Metro Manila who marched along EDSA despite heavy traffic and heightened police presence.

As early as 6 a.m., senior citizens from Cavite who were part of the 1968 People Power Revolution were already present and they noted that this march was a way of encouraging the next generation to keep the torch bright as they call for good governance.

Along with this, public servants such as Senator Kiko Pangilinan, Akbayan representative Chel Diokno, and actor Elijah Canlas were also present, while band Ben&Ben and former Miss Universe Catriona Gray are expected to perform during the program.

Protesters carried placards demanding transparency in government spending and called on institutions to safeguard public resources.

Organizers emphasized that the march is non-partisan, stressing that corruption affects all sectors of society. 

Moreover, they urged officials to provide clear answers regarding the ongoing allegations of misuse of public funds.

Police were also deployed around the monument to manage the crowd and ensure safety, while authorities reminded participants that calls for the military or police to withdraw support from the government are prohibited under the law.

Despite the large turnout, the rally remained generally peaceful throughout the morning.

By midday, the demonstration grew as student groups, church organizations, labor unions, and advocacy networks arrived with banners and speakers.

The second “Trillion-Peso March” serves as a follow-up to the September 21 anti-corruption rallies that pressed the government to show the real progress behind corruption cases.

In relation to the corruption cases, one of the organizers of the march, Kiko Aquino Dee, stated that while progress has been made since the rallies, it is still not enough.

He expressed, “Ang panawagan ng taumbayan ay ikulong ang lahat ng kurakot. In terms of the cases filed, we look forward to the final December 15 deadline na binigay ng Ombudsman. Then we’ll decide if there’s substantial progress made with these cases filed, we’ll give credit where credit is due.”

Aquino also urged the government to show accountability, citing the case against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez as a “litmus test.”

Furthermore, he urged President Marcos to step aside from any investigations where his name has been mentioned, noting that the  resigned Congressman Zaldy Co’s allegations must still be considered.

This rally marks one of the largest anti-corruption demonstrations of the year, showing the widespread public frustration over unresolved investigations and unanswered questions surrounding government contracts and procurement.

Organizers of the march said they are prepared to hold further mobilizations if their concerns remain unaddressed.