FOR THE millennials and the Gen. Z, their involvement and participation in the September 21 Trillion Peso March was more than a protest. It was a strikingly vivid and urgent alarm bell – corruption is no longer tolerable and demands for accountability are growing intolerable.
The turnout was unmistakable. According to Philstar.com reports, organizers expected about 30,000 at EDSA while unofficial reports ranged up to 49,000 at the Luneta Park. Thousands joined in the parallel events in other cities in the country.
Particularly striking was the participation of young people. Students from major universities in Manila and nearby provinces, together with young professionals braved the heat and the rain, led the chants, carried white ribbons, and demanded reform. Their message, addressed to the Marcos government and all public officials, was loud and clear: corruption is not simply an abstract policy failure but a daily betrayal of the Filipino people.
Popular entertainment and sports figures, stood and walked side by side with leaders of civil society groups and non-government organizations. On the other hand, the lay leaders from different parishes, priests and nuns from various congregations were also present. Church leaders gave the protest a moral framing: corruption is not just a crime against the state but an evil act against the poor, against their dignity, and in most cases, against life itself.
Undoubtedly, the Sunday rally was powerful; but let us face it, protests and chants alone can never guarantee change. Because after this collective gnashing of the teeth punctuated with a unified show of anger and wrath, the burning question remains: what now?
First, we have to sustain the momentum. Young people can burn bright but keeping them engaged beyond a single event is definitely hard. It is important to provide them sustained civic education, community organizing, and meaningful participation.
Second, how do we translate this shared anger into cohesive action? Accountability means investigating, prosecuting, and recovering ill-gotten wealth. Let us not allow the fires burning deeply in our hearts to wane or flicker even for a second until all the people implicated and found guilty of the anomalous flood-control and other infrastructure project are charged and jailed, until their SALNs are exposed, and until they sign a waiver to reveal their bank accounts.
Third, let us watch closely the government institutions that are tasked to safeguard the truth. The ongoing Senate inquiry into flood control anomalies is promising on paper – but history shows congressional investigations often peter out without a bite. Do not look any farther to prove this point. Alice Guo was able to leave the country, Harry Roque is enjoying humba in The Hague, and one key actor in the PDAF case is now investigating the controversial flood-control projects. Will this be another exercise in optics, or will they produce enforceable results. By this, I mean solid indictments, prosecutions, convictions, policy and law reform.
Fourth, let us remain vigilant against any form of distraction. The main issue during the rally was corruption and not partisan politics. If political actors try to hijack or extract electoral advantage, the message may become distorted, and public trust end up being diluted.
Lastly, we have to demand legal and structural reforms. It is never enough to punish erring public officials. While the heat is on, let us lobby for the passage of relevant laws such as anti-dynasty laws and freedom of information bill, and even complete overhaul of the party list system. Let us demand the creation of a stronger independent oversight with subpoena powers, the lifting of bank secrecy, implementation of robust procurement reform, and institutionalization of public participation in monitoring government projects.
The September 21 protest showed that Filipinos, including those too young to remember the worst of Martial Law, are not resigned. They threw down a gauntlet. But real accountability, lasting reform and justice don’t come from marches, chants and slogans alone. They come from institutions doing their job, from laws being enforced, and from citizens never letting up.
After the Trillion Peso March, the real work begins now.
