#MillionPeopleMarch peaks at tens of thousands

MANILA, Philippines – Its called #MillionPeopleMarch but organizers say the crowd reached a peak of 400 thousand while police estimate the crowd to be only around 80 thousand. Despite falling way below the target, netizens say it’s a success. 

Bea Cupin reports.

Ousted Chief Justice Renato Corona finds out this isn’t his crowd after the impeached official makes an unwanted visit.
Corona was dismissed from office in May 2012 after the Senate impeachment court found him guilty of betraying public trust by failing to declare his wealth.

WILL VILLANUEVA
PROTESTER
I think he’s part of the problem. He hasn’t owned up to his tax deficiencies, right?

The same issues hurled against Corona are the issues in this rally: lack of transparency and corruption.
A state audit report shows at least 192 lawmakers misused P6.1 billion of pork barrel.
They also react to the President’s abolition of the pork barrel Friday.

MARTA MATUTI
ENTREPRENEUR
He says abolish PDAF and then what, line items? What are we going to do with that? That’s still our money. There’s gotta be more transparency. We want to see people brought down to justice.

The crowd in Luneta is diverse. The young, the old, the famous…

ROBIN PADILLA
TV PERSONALITY
Nakikisama kami sa inyo, pareho ng ginagawa ninyo, magmulat. (We are one with you and what you’re trying to do: make people aware.)

and the average Juan…

JOEL MERALPES
VENDOR
Sobra yung paghihirap ng mamayanan habang pinakikinabangan ng iilang yung kaban ng bayan. (Many Filipinos are suffering while a small few are taking advantage of the country’s coffers.)

Protestors urge government to scrap the Priority Development Assistance Fund and the President’s pork barrel.
They ask for a full accounting of pork barrel expenses and thieving public officials punished.
They may not have reached a million, but the message is clear: abolish pork barrel and institute reforms in government. The mood is festive and hopeful in Luneta but protesters here also emphasize: this is only the beginning. Bea Cupin, Rappler, Manila. – Rappler.com