📷: Bayan Muna Partylist | FB
On the 53rd anniversary of Martial Law, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) will lead a protest march from Luneta Park to Malacañang Palace on September 21 to denounce what it calls the “corrupt and puppet fascist regime” of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
The protest, part of the nationwide Baha sa Luneta mobilization, aims to expose the deepening crisis of corruption, inequality, and repression under Marcos Jr.,a presidency that Bayan says mirrors the abuses of his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte.
Organizers say the flood control corruption scandal—implicating lawmakers, contractors, and budget officials—is only the latest proof of systemic rot.
Billions in public funds were allegedly funneled into ghost projects while poor communities remain submerged in literal and economic floods.
Bayan also condemned the expansion of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) under Marcos Jr., calling it a continuation of Duterte’s militarist legacy.
The group cited increased attacks on urban poor communities, red-tagging of activists, and the use of intelligence funds to silence dissent.
The protest will culminate in a symbolic flood march to the gates of Malacañang, where demonstrators will deliver a unified call for accountability, justice, and systemic change.
The rally is expected to draw thousands from student groups, labor unions, church networks, and grassroots organizations. Protesters will carry placards reading: “Marcos-Duterte Walang Pinag-iba,” “Commander-in-Thief,” and “Bahain ng Protesta ang Korap na Sistema.”
Meanwhile, in a press conference yesterday, the Makabayan bloc clarified that the upcoming rally at Luneta Park on September 21 is a protest against corruption in flood control and other government projects—not a demand for President Marcos to step down.
According to House Deputy Minority Leader Antonio Tinio (ACT Teachers), House Assistant Minority Leader Renee Co (Kabataan), and Gabriela Rep. Sarah Elago, the mobilization is focused on exposing and confronting systemic graft.
The clarification comes amid reports that certain groups aligned with Duterte may attempt to hijack the protest to push for Marcos’s resignation.
The bloc emphasized that the rally’s core message is accountability, not regime change, and warned against efforts to dilute or distort its purpose. (RRN)
