ILOILO City – A new wave of young activists is poised to take the lead in commemorating the 53rd anniversary of Martial Law, as student leaders mobilize thousands to confront what they describe as the country’s “trillion-peso corruption” scandal.
The Trillion Peso March, scheduled for Sunday, September 21, will gather more than 3,000 participants from various sectors in Iloilo City. Beginning at Jaro Cathedral and culminating at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol, the protest is expected to spotlight the youth’s growing frustration with corruption while linking it to the authoritarian abuses of the past.
Arlie Bosque, a student leader and representative of the Jalaur River for the People’s Movement (JRPM), said young Filipinos are determined to reclaim the legacy of activism.
“Sa September 21, paghanduraw man naton… kay bisan si President Bongbong Marcos gani, gapustura siya nga daw pang-good governance… pero ang matuod, si Marcos Jr. ang original nga nepo baby sa tanan nga nepo babies,” Bosque stressed.
Bosque emphasized that for many young Filipinos, the struggle is not only about remembering the horrors of Martial Law under Ferdinand Marcos Sr. but also about demanding accountability from his son’s administration.
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Panay secretary general Elmer Forro added that students are now at the forefront of protests that were once dominated by older generations.
“Bangud sa tan-aw naton, nga istura sang martial law antis ini gin-declare (September 21, 1972), ginatublag ini sadto sang malala nga problema sang corruption… Ang kahimtangan antis gin-declare ang martial law kag ang kahimtangan subong, parehas lang,” he said.
Forro noted that student groups are carrying forward the unfinished fight against both dictatorship and corruption, stressing that the two cannot be separated.
The march will also feature testimonies from martial law survivors, reminding young participants of the cost of silence under tyranny. Organizers said these stories would serve as both warnings and inspiration for today’s youth leaders.
Church leaders, meanwhile, are backing the movement but affirm that the young must be allowed to take the helm. Monsignor Meliton Oso of the Jaro Archdiocesan Social Action Center praised the students’ courage while emphasizing non-violence.
“We must denounce the thievery that is taking place in our country, as we are the ones being cheated. The blood and sweat of Filipinos are essentially being squandered; therefore, we must let our anger be known, but we insist on expressing this in a non-violent manner,” Oso said./PN
