Negrenses rally vs corruption in ‘Trillion Peso March’

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — More than 1,000 people from various sectors in Negros Occidental joined the nationwide “Trillion Peso March 2.0” on Sunday, calling for accountability and transparency amid growing concerns over government corruption.

The protest coincided with the commemoration of Andres Bonifacio Day and reflected public outrage over issues such as climate inaction, poverty, ghost projects, energy crises, flooding, and poor education services.

Clad in white, protesters carried placards expressing frustration over these issues and demanding reforms from public officials.

The demonstration was held at the Bacolod Public Plaza and featured a program that included cultural performances from youth groups representing different parishes, as well as messages from students, priests, private citizens, and progressive organizations.

In Bacolod City, two groups of protesters marched from separate assembly points — Lupit Church and the Provincial Capitol Lagoon — before converging at the plaza.

The Police Regional Office–Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) reported that the protest ended peacefully, with no incidents recorded and approximately 1,300 individuals participating.

In Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (Norppo) monitored a similarly peaceful protest at Pantawan, Boulevard, which drew around 70 participants.

Police Brig. Gen. Arnold Thomas Ibay, PRO-NIR director, said the right to peaceful assembly is a vital pillar of democracy — one that the regional office fully respects and remains committed to protecting.

He said PRO-NIR was on full alert during the protests, deploying 2,141 personnel to strategic locations across the region to ensure public safety and order.

Deployed units were assigned to various operational duties, including fixed visibility posts, mobile and motorcycle patrols, foot patrols, traffic assistance, checkpoints, border control, civil disturbance management, drone surveillance, explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) K9 teams, and Red Team response units.

Other agencies, such as local disaster response groups, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and traffic management units of local government units (LGUs), were also mobilized to boost situational awareness and emergency response.

Ibay commended police personnel for their professionalism and diligence in securing the protests.

He also thanked the rally organizers, participants, and the community for observing safety and security protocols throughout the event.

Ibay said the peaceful outcome of the protests underscored a shared commitment between law enforcement and the public to uphold orderly civic engagement.

The first “Trillion Peso March” protest took place on Sept. 21, marking the 53rd anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law.