Rallyists in NCR push through with protest vs corruption

Protesters gathered early on Sunday morning in some areas of Metro Manila to hold their rallies against corruption in flood control projects.

At the EDSA People Power Monument (PPM) in Quezon City, rallyists led by Akbayan Party-list Representatives Chel Diokno and Perci Cendaña marched from EDSA Shrine and arrived at the PPM at around 9 a.m. 

Among the personalities also seen at PPM were Senator Kiko Pangilinan, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno who led the prayer during the program, and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong. 

Labor groups were also among those taking part in the rally at the EDSA People Power Monument dubbed Trillion Peso March.

Meanwhile at the Rizal Park (Luneta), the Manila Police District (MPD) prevented rallyists from setting up their equipment early as they held no rally permit. 

Bayan issued a statement blasting police for blocking their protest preparations for the Baha sa Luneta 2.0 rally.

"This is clearly intended to sabotage the protest, discourage people from joining the rally, and suppress the demand to make Marcos Jr accountable for the large scale corruption in the government," Bayan said.

"Today's protest is coordinated with both the Manila LGU and MMDA," Bayan said.

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno meanwhile said it is not objecting to the holding of a protest rally, but Roxas Boulevard is under the MMDA's jurisdiction, and Luneta under the NPDC.

"LGU Manila interposes no objection to the protest rally. We will provide the same assistance (traffic, garbage and emergency medical assistance) as we did during the September 21 rally and the November 16-18 peace rally," the mayor said in a statement.

"However, Roxas Blvd is under the jurisdiction of the MMDA, and Luneta is under the NPDC. They should coordinate directly with them. That was our advice to the rally organizers in a meeting held in the city hall last November 25, 2025," he said.

However, the MPD later allowed a group to hold a short 15-minute program at Km 0 or the Rizal Monument at Luneta.

At Liwasang Bonifacio, a freedom park, some 250 protesters gathered as of 8 a.m., the Manila City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office said.

They held a short program, with PISTON president Mody Floranda calling out the police for preventing the rallyists at Luneta from setting up their equipment earlier.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has called for an investigation into anomalous flood control projects as many parts of the country have been submerged amid heavy rains in the past months.

The Senate and the House of Representatives have launched their respective investigations.

Some flood control projects were found to be ghost projects. —with a report from Joviland Rita/KG, GMA Integrated News