Palace, CBCP issue messages ahead of September 21 protests

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has expressed his support for anti-corruption rallies that will take place on Sunday, September 21, Malacañang said.

Thousands of people are expected to troop to Rizal Park and EDSA People Power Monument to protest the corruption in government infrastructure projects, particularly those involving flood control. Protests were also planned in the provinces.

In a statement on Saturday, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said that the President respects the right of the people to express their sentiments as long as it does not violate the law.

“Naririnig at nararamdaman ng Pangulo ang pagkadismaya ng taumbayan at iyon ay kanyang nararamdaman rin,” Castro said.

(The President hears and feels the disappointment of the public, and he also feels the same.)

She added that Marcos ordered the probe into anomalous flood projects to hold corrupt officials accountable.

“Nais din ng Pangulo na ang taumbayan ay makipagtulungan sa gobyerno para matigil na ang pag aabuso na ito. Maging mapanuri lamang at maging mapagmatyag dahil baka gamitin ang lehitimong layunin na ito ng mga tao na ang nais lamang ay manira ng gobyerno at iangat ang personal na interest nila,” Castro added.

(The President hopes that the public will work with the government to put an end to this abuse. Be alert and observant, as this legitimate concern may be used by people who only want to destroy the government and push their personal interests instead.)

'Enough is enough!'

Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) asked the public to join the "Trillion Peso March," which will be held at the EDSA People Power Monument at 2 p.m. Sunday.

"This gathering is not a political spectacle, but a moral stand. It is a moment of prayer, solidarity, and action against the entrenched culture of corruption that robs our people of dignity, deepens poverty, and betrays our future," CBCP president and Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David said.

"We must resist opportunists who exploit our outrage for selfish gain, while reminding our leaders that accountability must be pursued through due process, within the bounds of our Constitution and the rule of law. Our purpose is not to destabilize, but to strengthen our democracy."

The CBCP also appealed to legislators, independent oversight bodies, and prosecuting agencies "to expedite the process of investigation and accountability."

"Ensure that government contracts are executed with transparency and integrity, devoid of graft and corruption. Our people deserve concrete solutions—not empty rhetoric, not endless political grandstanding, not the usual delaying tactics," David said.

"Enough is enough! We will no longer accept that this investigation simply die a natural death, like so many before it that eventually ended in political accommodations and compromises." —VBL, GMA Integrated News