The momentum of the September 21 anti-corruption rally at EDSA is far from over. On Wednesday, October 1, organizers formally launched the Trillion Peso March Movement at the historic Club Filipino in San Juan City — a gathering meant to transform what began as a prayer rally into a sustained citizens’ movement for accountability and reform.
In a press briefing, convenors announced plans for larger nationwide demonstrations on November 30, in time for the 162nd birth anniversary of Andres Bonifacio, which also falls on a Sunday holiday this year.
According to the organizers, the choice of Club Filipino as the venue was deliberate and symbolic — the same place where the late President Corazon Aquino took her oath of office in 1986, signaling the restoration of democracy after the Marcos dictatorship.
“We demand accountability, reform, and justice to restore dignity, ensure development, and create a prosperous future for every Filipino,” said Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, president of Caritas Philippines and one of the lead convenors of the movement.
The group emphasized that corruption remains a central obstacle to national progress, calling for the swift prosecution of graft cases, the recovery of stolen wealth, and greater transparency in public spending.
“We, the conveners and leaders of this Trillion Peso March Movement, declare that corruption is the root of poverty, inequality, and injustice in the Philippines,” Bagaforo stated. “We call on every Filipino to join this collective fight for an honest, transparent, and accountable government.”
Over the next two months, the movement will organize a series of nationwide activities leading up to the Bonifacio Day protest. These include a “moral protest,” which will focus on prayer and fasting, and a “people’s power protest,” involving mass mobilizations, ribbon campaigns, and coordinated noise barrages.
Organizers said their ultimate goal is to sustain public vigilance and build a united front against corruption, turning civic outrage into long-term, collective action for reform and justice.