MANILA, Philippines – On Sunday, September 21, Filipino celebrities weren’t spotted on screen where they usually are.
The day saw two major protests unfold in Metro Manila: the Baha sa Luneta in Luneta Park, Manila, and the Trillion Peso March at the EDSA People Power Monument in Quezon City.
Many of the most well-known actors and actresses took to the streets for both rallies — using their platforms to take a stand against corruption after the flood control scandal sparked righteous outrage among the public.
Vice Ganda
Perhaps the most resounding presence was that of Vice Ganda, who delivered a powerful speech on stage at the Trillion Peso March — hurling expletives at the politicians who continue to pocket the taxes millions of Filipinos work hard to pay.
The actor-host was recognized as one of the top taxpaying Filipino media personalities in March.
Vice Ganda kept things completely unfiltered, reasoning that these politicians have never been kind to Filipinos, so why should she, in this instance, be kind?
The It’s Showtime host initially called for the imprisonment of corrupt politicians, but decided that it wasn’t enough.
“Ikulong ang mga magnanakaw. Para sa akin, hindi nga sapat ang kulong e. Dapat patayin ang mga korap na magnanakaw! Ibalik ang death penalty para sa mga korap!” Vice Ganda exclaimed as she called for lawmakers to reimpliment the death penalty just for the thieves masquerading as public servants.
(Jail all thieves. For me, imprisonment isn’t even enough. These corrupt thieves should be killed! Bring back the death penalty for the corrupt!)
Vice Ganda then challenged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. — the son of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos — to throw all of the corrupt politicians in jail if he wants to fix his legacy, not because she idolizes him, but because it is the Filipinos who pay his salaries.
The Praybeyt Benjamin star was joined on stage by other celebrities like Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Gabbi Garcia, Khalil Ramos, Ion Perez, Iza Calzado, Donny Pangilinan, Darren Espanto, and Catriona Gray, who was also named one of the top celebrity taxpayers.
Jodi Sta. Maria
The Baha sa Luneta protest marked Jodi Sta. Maria’s first time to join a rally.
Speaking on stage at the event, the actress emphasized that it doesn’t matter what sector you’re from, what institution you’re from, or what school you graduated from, what matters is that you are a Filipino who deserves to be aware of the national situation, and where your taxes are truly going.
“Para sa akin, importante na may managot. Hindi puwedeng wala e, kasi ilang beses na ‘to nangyari. Ilang rebolusyon na ang pinagdaanan natin simula nu’ng unang EDSA, EDSA dos, [at] EDSA tres,” Sta. Maria said.
(For me, it’s important that someone gets held accountable. We can’t allow otherwise, because this has happened numerous times before. We’ve gone through several revolutions, starting from the first EDSA, EDSA dos, [and] EDSA tres.)
Sta. Maria’s speech was a call for Filipinos to keep working together to fix the broken system that has allowed thievery in the government to thrive.
“Dapat ‘wag tayong tumigil. Collectively, may magagawa po tayo. Hindi ito kilos ng iisang tao lamang. We have to work as a country, tayong lahat, as a people. Kailangan pong kumilos tayo. Kailangan po na marinig ang boses natin, na gusto nating baguhin ang sistema,” she said.
(We shouldn’t stop. Collectively, we can do something. This isn’t the job of just one person. We have to work as a country, all of us, as a people. We need to move. We need to be heard speaking up about how we want to change the system.)
Angel Aquino
Speaking on the same stage, Angel Aquino also encouraged the public to be vigilant against corruption.
Aquino shared that she had been speaking out against corruption in the Philippines since she was a kid, but things seem to have only gotten worse.
“Parang mas ‘in our face’ nila ginagawa ‘yung pagnanakaw nila, ‘yung paglulustay nila sa mga pera natin. Taxpayer din po ako. Mayroon akong dalawang anak na tinataguyod. May pamilya akong tinataguyod. Masakit para sa akin na sa kanila (politiko) napupunta ang pera natin,” she said.
(It feels like the robbery and their squandering of our money are more “in our face” now. I am also a taxpayer. I have two kids that I’m supporting. I’m supporting my family. It hurts that our money is going to these politicians.)
Aquino ended her speech with a call for justice for the Filipino people.
Tessie Tomas
Tessie Tomas shared the same stage as Sta. Maria and Aquino, speaking from the perspective of a UP graduate who witnessed a rally of this scale back in the ’70s.
“Tingin ko lang po, sa aking humble opinion, bumaba lahat ng nasa puwesto! Ibalik ang kapangyarihan sa Pilipinas!” Tomas exclaimed, giving a special mention to the government officials holding positions from the presidency up to the senate.
(I think, in my humble opinion, that all government officials should step down from their positions. Bring power back to the Filipino people!)
Tomas also asked that Filipinos be allowed to have a “peaceful snap election.”
Elijah Canlas
Actor Elijah Canlas took the stage at the EDSA People Power Monument to attest that it is the Filipinos’ right to know where their money goes.
Canlas spoke about how the taxes Filipinos work hard to pay merely get pocketed by senators involved in receiving kickbacks, the DPWH officials, politicians, and congressmen who gamble them away in casinos, and the “nepo babies” who get to flaunt their wealth on social media.
“Samantalang ang karaniwang Pinoy, anong nangyayari? Naiiwang nagdurusa sa baha, at kawalan ng hanapbuhay. Papayag ba tayo doon? (All the while, the average Filipino is left suffering from floods, and losing their jobs. Are we going to allow that to happen?)” Canlas yells as the crowd responds with a resounding “Hindi! (No!)”
Maris Racal
Maris Racal joined the Luneta Park rally, choosing to speak against the grave misuse of Filipino taxpayers’ money.
“Sana iparamdam ‘nyo sa amin ang mga promises ‘nyo nu’ng tumatakbo kayo. Sa tuwing bumibili kayo ng mga bagong mansyon, sana maiisip ‘nyo kami,” she declared into a megaphone, addressing the thieves in congress.
(I wish you could all allow us to feel everything you promised when you were all just running for your positions. Every time you buy a new mansion, I hope you think of us.)
The actress was also spotted holding up a sign that read, “Lahat ng korap, dapat managot! (The corrupt must be held accountable!)”
Andrea Brillantes
Andrea Brillantes was also present at the Luneta Park rally, documenting her experience in a TikTok video as the 22-year-old actress walked the streets with fellow protesters and listened to their calls for justice.
Brillantes later shared segments of the rally on her Instagram page, including a photo of her holding up the same sign Racal was seen with: “Lahat ng korap, dapat managot! (The corrupt must be held accountable!)”
“Hindi madali, pero importante. Nandito tayo. Walang makakalimot! At sana, wag lang po hanggang social media,” she captioned her post.
(Not easy, but important. We’re here. No one will forget! And I hope [our protests] aren’t just on social media.)
Kaila Estrada
Kaila Estrada joined the Trillion Peso March at the EDSA People Power Monument in Quezon City, holding up a sign that says, “Pera ng bayan, ibalik sa bayan (Return the nation’s money to the nation).”
Estrada posted photos and videos from the rally on her Instagram page, sharing that she bore witness to the strength of the Filipino people as they called for justice.
“Hindi tayo titigil hangga’t may mali, at hindi tayo titigil hangga’t may dapat ipaglaban. Bayan natin ‘to,” she wrote.
(We won’t stop as long as there’s something wrong, and we won’t stop as long as there’s something we need to fight for. This is our nation.)
Celebrity runners
There were also celebrities who chose to voice out their concerns in alternative ways, like Dingdong Dantes, Kim Atienza, Benjamin Alves, Kim Molina, and Jerald Napoles.
The actors, along with several other celebrities, joined a run against corruption in Ayala, Makati City, wearing black shirts with calls to end corruption printed onto them.
Among the other celebrities who were spotted in the rallies include Anne Curtis, Catriona Gray, Nadine Lustre, Julia Barretto, Marjorie Barretto, Leon Barretto, Erwan Heussaff, and Gardo Versoza. – Rappler.com
