The Philippine National Police will deploy more than 11,000 officers across Metro Manila on February 25 to secure the third “Trillion Peso March,” a protest expected to draw around 50,000 participants to mark the 40th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution.
The rally, centred on the EDSA Shrine and the People Power Monument, revives a growing movement demanding accountability over the alleged loss of ₱1.9 trillion in flood control funds over the past 15 years. Organisers say more than half of that amount may have been lost to corruption — a charge that authorities have not publicly conceded but which has fuelled months of street mobilisations.
Massive Security Footprint
Police Brigadier General Randulf Tuaño, the PNP spokesperson, said the force was prepared to ensure a peaceful assembly.
“Ito ay kaugnay sa gaganapin na Trillion Peso March. Nais po nating banggitin na handa po ang PNP upang tiyakin ang mapayapa at maayos na pagdaraos ng anumang aktibidad sa February 25,” he said during a press briefing.
Tuaño added: “Nagkasa po ang PNP ng mahigit na 11,000 kung saan sila po ay ide-deploy.”
The deployment will cover major thoroughfares along EDSA beginning at 7 a.m., when a prayer march is scheduled to move from the EDSA Shrine toward Club Filipino, culminating in a Mass later in the day. Authorities have said they are monitoring no specific threats as of February 13, but the scale of deployment reflects heightened caution following previous unrest.
A Movement Gains Momentum
The February 25 gathering follows two earlier marches: the first held on September 21, 2025, at Luneta Park, and a second on November 30, 2025, coinciding with Bonifacio Day.
Both events drew significant crowds. The September rally attracted roughly 50,000 demonstrators and ended with clashes near Mendiola that injured 39 police officers. The political tremors rippled into financial markets, with the Philippine Stock Exchange index dipping the following day.
The third march is being organised by Caritas Philippines, the social action arm of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, together with various civil society groups, labour organisations, and student movements. Activities will extend beyond Metro Manila, with parallel events planned in 86 dioceses nationwide.
Church and Civil Society at the Helm
Religious leaders are placing moral weight behind the campaign. Lingay-Dagupan Archbishop Romulo Villegas is expected to officiate the Mass at EDSA Shrine.
Fr. Tito Caluag, executive director of Caritas Philippines, underscored the campaign’s focus on accountability rather than political upheaval.
“Our position is clear: until we have explored every option to ensure accountability, we will not waver,” he said.
Antonino “Kiko” Aquino-Dee, co-convener of the Uhay ang People Movement, stressed that while citizens have the right to demand resignations, the coalition does not endorse actions beyond constitutional boundaries.
“We want to emphasize that we do not view these calls [for resignations] as unconstitutional; every citizen has the right to voice their demands,” Aquino-Dee said. “However, we wish to distance ourselves from anything that goes beyond the parameters of the 1987 Constitution.”
Flood Control Funds Under Scrutiny
At the heart of the protest is the alleged mismanagement of ₱1.9 trillion (approximately US$33 billion) allocated to flood control projects over 15 years. Organisers argue that persistent flooding in vulnerable communities — often destroying homes, livelihoods and crops — stands in stark contrast to the scale of public spending.
For many residents in flood-prone provinces, the issue is deeply personal. Recurrent floods often push up the prices of rice and vegetables, disrupt local markets and strain household incomes. Protest leaders contend that the rally is not only about abstract figures in the national budget, but about daily hardship for ordinary families.
Anniversary Symbolism
Holding the march on the 40th anniversary of the 1986 People Power Revolution lends historical resonance. EDSA remains a national symbol of civic action — a site where peaceful protest once reshaped the country’s political landscape.
Organisers have characterised the February 25 event as a “prayer and indignation rally,” weaving spiritual observance with calls for institutional reform. Preparatory activities are scheduled for February 22 and 23, building momentum toward the main assembly.
Disruptions Expected in Metro Manila
The concentration of tens of thousands along one of Metro Manila’s main arteries is likely to cause significant traffic congestion, affecting office workers, students and public transport commuters.
Authorities have not announced widespread suspensions of work or classes, but the scale of both protest participation and police presence suggests that travel across Quezon City and neighbouring districts may be heavily affected throughout the day.
For the PNP, the task will be balancing firm security with restraint. For organisers, it will be sustaining public attention on allegations that involve nearly two trillion pesos in public funds. And for many in attendance, February 25 will serve as both commemoration and protest — a reminder that the legacy of EDSA endures not in monuments alone, but in the demands citizens carry into the streets.
