On Bonifacio’s 162nd birth anniversary, at least 119 rallies and a “Second Trillion Peso March” demand accountability for plundered public funds.
Newsroom (01/12/2025 Gaudium Press )Tens of thousands of Filipinos took to the streets on Saturday, 30 November, transforming the 162nd birth anniversary of revolutionary leader Andrés Bonifacio into a powerful nationwide cry against corruption. Police reported at least 119 separate demonstrations across the archipelago, organized by religious congregations, civil society groups, and citizens’ movements.
The focal point was the Edsa People Power Monument in Quezon City, where Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, Bishop of Kalookan and outgoing president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), celebrated a solemn Mass attended by thousands. In his homily, Cardinal David called for an intensified fight against corruption, urging every citizen to take “concrete steps towards justice.”
Speaking alongside him, Cubao Bishop Elias Ayuban Jr declared that the battle “does not end with the Trillion Peso March,” expressing solidarity with the “Second March” that drew participants from 86 dioceses and diverse sectors of society.
The protests revisited allegations of massive irregularities in infrastructure and flood-control budgets, issues first highlighted during the initial Trillion Peso March on 21 September. Demonstrators demanded transparency, accountability, and an end to what Antipolo Bishop Ruperto Santos described as the “excessive greed” of officials who squander public funds while students study in dilapidated, flood-prone classrooms.
In Cebu, Archbishop Alberto Uy lamented the trillions of pesos lost to corruption that could have built homes, hospitals, and supported education, agriculture, and fisheries. “These stolen resources hinder the nation’s growth,” he said.
Former Caritas Philippines executive secretary Fr Edwin Gariguez praised the Church’s role in mobilising the faithful, stating that the widespread participation “demonstrates the Church’s mission extends beyond worship to a courageous defence of justice, honesty, and the common good.”
Bishop Santos, addressing the Manila crowd, reminded protesters that a united Filipino people are “more powerful than any elected leader.” He insisted corrupt officials and their accomplices must face justice so public resources can truly serve and protect citizens.
“Choose peace. March with determination. Raise your voices with passion, but act with grace,” Santos urged, adding, “Let our voices thunder throughout the country. Let our unity be our strength.”
Among the prominent voices at the Edsa rally was Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, who joined the sea of demonstrators in condemning rampant corruption.
Saturday’s actions – peaceful yet resolute – reaffirmed that, more than a century after Bonifacio’s call for independence, Filipinos continue to demand a government that places the welfare of its people above personal gain.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Aisanews.it
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