MANILA, Philippines -- Green will be the new color of protest on Friday as people of different faiths and political beliefs converge again at the Ninoy Aquino Monument in Makati City to pray for truth and accountability.

The interfaith prayer rally, which is scheduled from 5 to 8 p.m. at the corner of Ayala and Paseo de Roxas avenues, carries the theme "Manindigan para sa Katotohanan, Katarungan at Pagbabago," which, according to the organizers, covers not only the quest for truth, honesty, and accountability but also various calls for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to resign amid the scandals rocking her administration.

Militant groups such as the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and the Laban ng Masa are expected to carry red and white streamers emblazoned with anti-administration slogans and march with the so-called "rally newbies" or the middle-class.

“We expect it to be different as people who don't usually go to rallies, the middle-class, will be there to express their rage through prayer,” said Leah Navarro of the Black and White Movement.

The three-hour gathering is expected to attract different faiths and religions, professionals and other groups who are not "regulars" of such actions.

Among those who had vowed to join the rally are the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Makati Business Club, and the Management Association of the Philippines, added Navarro.

While the organizers have not given any target for Friday's crowd, the BWM and other militant groups are hoping to exceed the 10,000 who attended the Ayala rally last February 15.

"We don't want to preempt it, but we are hoping to beat that record. This is the product of two weeks since then, so we expect it to be bigger," said Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes.

Rodolfo Noel "Jun" Lozada Jr., whose expose on the alleged overprice of the national broadband network contract by the government has revived calls for Arroy’s resignation, is also expected to grace Friday's rally -- his first since coming out of hiding early this month.

"We were told that Lozada is hoping to speak ... at the rally, but then he has already had many previous engagements in schools," Navarro said.

The Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines, the Catholic Educators Association of the Philippines, a group called the United Muslims for Truth, Solidarity Philippines and the Jesus Is Lord Movement are also expected to attend, among others.

Navarro noted that Friday's color of protest was generally met unopposed by the different religious groups.

"The color green represents the quest for honesty, truth, and hope. The suggestion came from the La Sallian brothers, and even the Ateneans posed no objection to it," she quipped.

She added that while the militant groups were free to bring their usual red and white streamers, they hoped to see more colors of protest on Friday.

"There will be people of all sorts: Catholics, Charismatics, Muslims, Protestants. We may have our differences but what is important is we have a basis of unity -- that is to flesh out the truth despite the orchestrated efforts to hide it," said Arnold Padilla, Bayan media officer.

As to the presence of politicians onstage, Navarro said they were still trying to come to an agreement whether to allow politicians to give speeches during the rally.

"It's not to degrade them, but politicians are not exactly seen in a very good light in these times," she added.

The first part of the program will deal with the protesters' prayer for truth and accountability, while cultural presentations and song numbers will be performed in the second half.

"We expect the rally to be more rambunctious, louder but not violent, and joyful. We could also show our outrage through prayer," Navarro said.

For its part, Bayan has prepared an effigy of the President: a 20-foot snake with two hands holding a gun in one hand and cash in the other.

Reyes said the "Gloria snake" was expected to perform a sort of dragon dance at Friday's rally, but unlike in usual protests, the effigy won't be burned.

"Nakakahiya magsunog sa [It’s embarrassing to burn an effigy in] Makati City, eh. But the snake stands for the Biblical representation of what is evil," he added.

Meanwhile, the Makati City Police is set to deploy 100 members of the civil disturbance unit on Friday to keep an eye on the protest action in the country's premier business district.

"We have 100 from the local police and 100 from the Southern Police District. We'll be there to keep the troublemakers out," said Superintendent Gilbert Cruz, Makati chief of police.

Cruz added that given the mass preparations for the rally, he expected the crowd attendance to be higher this Friday than the February 15 gathering.

Chief Superintendent Luizo Ticman, SPD director, said he had met with Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay and the organizers, and that they came to an agreement that the protesters would keep the peace in their ranks.

"We got the assurance from Binay and the organizers that the rally will be peaceful. After all, this is a prayer rally and we expect it to be more peaceful," Ticman said.

A reserve force of 100 cops from each police district in Metro Manila will be on standby, according to Superintendent Rhodel Sermonia, National Capital Region Police Office spokesman.