Protests held in Southern Tagalog, Bicol provinces
Southern Luzon Bureau
First Posted 20:05:00 02/29/2008
LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines--Thousands of people from all walks of life joined protest marches, rallies and symposiums to show solidarity with thousands of other Filipinos massed in the country’s financial center of Makati to protest corruption and other abuses blamed on the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
In Legazpi City in Albay province, around 400 protesters from militant groups and church representatives convened in a prayer rally and protest march Friday afternoon.
The Krusada Para sa Katotoohan at Katanusan (Crusade for Truth and Justice) led by the Redemptorist Church and a local theater group held their own version of the "Way of the Cross," while protesters marched from the St. Raphael Church in downtown Legazpi City to the St. Gregory Church in the Old Albay District as Church groups prayed and sang hymns.
During the 2.5-kilometer march, a man carrying a cross was harangued by a woman dressed as a spoof of the President.
The "Way of the Cross" had 14 stops, ending at the Albay Cathedral, where a mass was held.
Aside from the Redemptorist priests, the Religious of the Good Shepherd (RGS), Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), Gabriela, Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), League of Filipino Students, Kadamay, Condor and Basic Ecclesial Community Leaders' Forum participated.
In Naga City, a "Human Chain," which swelled to more than 2,000 delegates from various sectors snaked through the streets downtown before sounding off into a noise barrage late in the afternoon, said Jariz Vida, Bayan-Muna Naga spokesman.
Linking arms in the protest action were students and personnel from the nearby schools, church representatives, activists, barangay officials, civilians, lawyers and even a bankers' association.
The move was meant to symbolize public outrage, belying any notion that the citizens were apathetic toward the state of the nation, said Rene Gumba, one of the conveners of the human chain and head of the Institute of Politics in the Ateneo de Naga University.
"We want to put a stop to corruption. We call for truth, and express our indignation at its suppression. Lastly, we call for more stable government institutions. The people have lost faith in the government, and if we need to sacrifice some public officials to regain that trust, then so be it," he said in a phone interview.
A candle lighting ceremony followed, before the delegates marched to the city plaza to conduct a program.
Tessa Lopez, spokesperson for Bayan-Bicol said that in Sorsogon City, around 1,000 participants convened by Bayan and Church groups joined a rally and a concert.
In Daet, Camarines Norte, a forum and noise barrage was attended by 300 participants, which was organized by an alliance of civil society members, while in Catanduanes, the Catanduanes Movement for Justice and Peace launched a noise barrage in the afternoon. They were also able to collect 2,500 signatures calling for the ouster of Arroyo.
In Masbate City, leaflets were distributed and a delegation of about 30 persons was sent to Manila via plane to join the protests in Makati, Lopez said.
In San Pablo City, Laguna, around a thousand students, seminarians, and parishioners joined a prayer vigil on Friday afternoon in support of the Inter-Faith Prayer Rally in Makati City.
Fr. Rayben Brosas, assistant parish priest of the San Pablo Cathedral, said the prayer vigil started with the Stations of the Cross in front of the cathedral at about 3 p.m. followed by a concelebrated Mass presided by Social Action Director Fr. Rene B. Eriga at 4 p.m. at the Liwasang Ermitanyo plaza located outside the cathedral.
A simultaneous sounding of car horns and ringing of church bells were scheduled later in the evening followed by the lighting of candles.
In Lucena City, a pro-Arroyo "mass for peace and rule of law" attended by a crowd of around 3,500 to 4,000 was celebrated at the Saint Ferdinand Cathedral.
City mayor Ramon Talaga Jr. (Lakas) was in the mass officiated by Quezon Bishop Emilio Marquez, a known Arroyo supporter. Local officials, public and private employees, professionals, students, workers and ordinary citizens attended the mass.
The bishop dared NBN witness Rodolfo Noel Lozada, Jr. to support his claims of corruption in government with concrete evidence.
He insisted that the mentality of majority of the people in the province was different from "imperial Manila" but he recognized the people's right to speak.
Reports from Ephraim Aguilar, Jaymee Gamil, Romulo Ponte and Delfin Mallari Jr., Inquirer Southern Luzon
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