30K expected to attend Sept. 21 ‘Trillion Peso March’ at EDSA

An estimated 30,000 people are expected to take part in the "Trillion Peso March" in EDSA on September 21, Sunday, as church leaders, student groups, and civic organizations have finalized preparations for the mass anti-corruption protest.

Caritas Philippines president Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo said the proceedings will begin at the Luneta or Rizal Park in Manila at 9 a.m. which will culminate at the EDSA People Power Monument in Quezon City in the afternoon.

“Ang mangyayaring kilos sa September 21, the main event will be at EDSA sa hapon alas dos. Magsisimula ‘yung mga nasa Luneta,” Bagaforo explained. “Bago pa magkaroon ng malakihang rally sa hapon, nakapag-schedule na ang mga kabataan at mga estudyante sa Luneta. Kaya pagkatapos ng Luneta, lahat sila kung maaari pumunta, magmartsa, at sumama sa main event ng araw na iyon sa EDSA People’s Power.”

(What will happen on September 21: the main event will be at EDSA in the afternoon at 2 p.m. The youth and students will start from Luneta, and after that, everyone is encouraged to march and join the main event at the People Power Monument in EDSA.)

“The Trillion Peso March is not just a protest—it is a moral call. On September 21, we show that the people will not be silenced by corruption and abuse. Together, we march in peace, but with firm conviction, to demand a government worthy of our trust,” said Kiko Aquino Dee of Tindig Pilipinas.

“September 21 will be a day to show that when the people stand together—peacefully but resolutely—no abuse of power can outlast the strength of a nation determined to reclaim integrity in governance,” Dee added.

In a joint statement, Tindig Pilipinas announced it had signed a Memorandum of Undertaking with the Church Leaders Council for National Transformation (CLCNT), Simbahan at Komunidad Laban sa Katiwalian (SIKLAB), Alyansa ng Nagkakaisang Mamamayan (ANIM), Taumbayan Ayaw sa Magnanakaw at Abusado Network Alliance (TAMA NA), and the Quezon City Police District (QCPD).

A memorandum also addressed crowd management, sanitation concerns, and safety protocols to ensure what the groups call a “peaceful, orderly, and united assembly.”

Organizers said the day will open with an ecumenical mass at 9 a.m. at the People Power Monument, followed by the main rally from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. 

Growing campus support

Universities and student councils have also mobilized their communities, with calls for participation issued by:

• Adamson University
• Ateneo de Manila University
• De La Salle University
• Miriam College
• Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM)
• University of Santo Tomas

Logistics and expectations

Based on a memorandum, around 30,000 participants from more than 200 various groups are expected to participate in the EDSA event.

Delegates will assemble at the EDSA Shrine and Temple Drive before marching to the People Power Monument for the program proper.

Security marshals from ANIM, RAM, and the Knights of Columbus will oversee the crowd, while local barangay medical teams will be deployed. The MMDA will provide portalets, and organizers have set a ban on plastic bottled water alongside post-rally cleanup operations.

The protest comes as the Senate and Department of Justice are investigating alleged ghost and substandard flood control projects, a controversy President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. flagged in his State of the Nation Address last July.

Organizers said the choice of September 21— the anniversary of martial law declaration under the late president Ferdinand Marcos Sr.—was deliberate, intended to underscore the connection between past abuses of power and present-day corruption. — RF, GMA Integrated News