Are you joining the #MillionPeopleMarch vs pork barrel?

MANILA, Philippines – A million warm bodies.

This is the crowd that the citizen-initiated rallies against the much-abused pork barrel system target to mobilize across the country on Monday, August 26.

On the Facebook event page Power ng Pinoy, which initiated the call to action, more than 17,000 (as of 8 am, August 25) of the nearly 140,000 invited have expressed their intention to attend the rally in Luneta. As of posting, more than 3,000 are undecided. 

Its latest FB post stressed that the Heroes’ Day protest would push through despite President Benigno Aquino III’s announcement that he would scrap the controversial Priority Development Assistance Fund or PDAF, and will replace it with another kind of congressional allocation that leaves little room for discretion.

“We were heard, but we want him to listen. We have more to say. Abolish pork barrel. We demand transparency and acceptability,” Power ng Pinoy said. 

The concerned citizens behind the protest movement want senators and congressmen involved in the pork barrel scam publicly investigated and charged in proper courts.

Various individuals and groups across the regions will also hold anti-pork barrel protests in solidarity with the Luneta action, which organizers called “massive pocket picnic.” 

READ: Aug 26 anti-pork barrel protests spread nationwide

“We need this outrage, anger to reach critical mass. SPREAD THE WORD. REPOST,” they said.  

Tell us your plans

MovePH, Rappler’s civic engagement arm, is conducting a survey of people who will join the protest, either in Luneta or in the provinces.

If you are coming, sign up and be counted. The information you will give will be kept confidential. It will be used for a quick count and to map protest hubs across the country.

MovePH is also tracking the participation of various institutions that have expressed support for the march. If your organization is not yet listed, sign up and make your stand heard. 

Ground rules at Luneta

A group of concerned citizens volunteered to manage Monday’s activities and agreed to implement the following ground rules:

• The main event will start at 9 am and end at 2 pm.
• Participants will converge in front of a large video wall to be installed at the Quirino Grand Stand.
• Participants will be asked to register their attendance in a petition tent near the video wall.
• The center of the rally area will be designated for individuals not affiliated with any groups.
• The right and left sides will be reserved for participating advocacy and political groups.

Police authorities, whom the group of concerned citizens met on Saturday, August 24, said they will deploy at least 2,000 cops to protect the participants and to ensure that peace and order is maintained. Ambulances from Red Cross and the Department of Health will also be on standby. 

We also encourage you to contribute to the liveblog that @moveph will be moderating on the day of the rallies. Use the hashtag #MillionPeopleMarch. – Rappler.com