MANILA, Philippines -- Students suddenly swelled the ranks of participants at Friday's interfaith rally in Makati City. In addition to La Salle, Ateneo and UP, students from some of Manila's universities broke their silence and aired their call for the truth and for the resignation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Adamson University was the first in a "sunduan" or pick-up points of students from other Manila universities who would walk all the way to Makati for the 5-p.m. gathering. They had planned to merge first at Don Bosco on Chino Roces Avenue before going to Ayala.

Carrying huge banners saying "Gloria Resign Now!" and "Speak the truth!" the AdU youth arrived in front of the Philippine Christian University (PCU) on Padre Faura at 1:30 p.m. and waved their fists to ask them to join.

After about 10 minutes, a hundred students from PCU followed the Adamson group. At the nearby Philippine Women's University, about 30 students joined too.

The marchers turned left upon reaching Quirino Avenue at 2 p.m. and turned right at Osmeña Highway at 2:30 p.m. Here, four buses loaded with more Adamson students caught up with them.

"The Filipino youth and students have broken their silence and the culture of apathy that has long been embedded to us by this government. We are intensifying our Gloria-resign call for we will not just be mere observers in our society," said Mark Louie Aquino, Youth Revolt spokesperson.

Protest messages bestsellers

Hours before the program, the intersection of Ayala and Paseo de Roxas was already abuzz with activity from stage and sound system preparations to the deployment of police units to their posts.

Vendors hawking all sorts of wares from ice cream and grilled dried squid to hats, shirts and umbrellas loitered around, mingling with the rest of the early birds.

Merchandise with protest messages were bestsellers.

Garment vendor Jerry Legarda, 42, sold out his wares--linen sashes with the words "Gloria Resign" among other slogans--within minutes.

His products came in black, white and yellow. The most popular were the black ones sporting the message: "President Evil Out."

"I've been doing this for a long time, even during the time of FPJ," he said, referring to the late actor and presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr. "Definitely I'm anti-Arroyo, so it's a good thing I can make money out of this."

Two men in red shirts handed out stickers with Ms Arroyo's caricature and the words, "Hear no evil, speak no evil, deliver us from Evil."

Erap Magic

The Erap magic is still alive, judging from the frenzied shouts of "Erap! Erap!" of his supporters who lined up the island of Ayala Ave.

Walking with a slight limp, former President Joseph Estrada gamely waved and smiled at both supporters and spectators who showered him with confetti from the tall buildings near the Ninoy Aquino Monument.

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He may have become "Citizen Erap" but in high-profile events such as rallies, his tough and tight security remains the same.

Reporters who scrambled for an ambush interview with him got a taste of being slightly manhandled by his security men, who grabbed the arms and even shirts of reporters who rushed through the cordon upon Estrada's consent.

"Teka lang boss! Media kami! [One moment, boss. We're media]" said one female reporter, to which a man replied, "Ma'am sandali lang po [One moment please]."

"Eh kung sandali lang aalis na amo mo! [In a moment your boss will be on his way]" the reporter shot back, and her arm was freed.

At one point, Estrada even sang to show his happiness at being able to join street rallies such as Friday.

The rally site was filled to the brim with protesters of different political beliefs, colors and gimmicks.

The People's Movement Against Poverty came complete with a mobile sound system and a standard marching theme: "Gloria Labandera [Gloria the Laundress]."

But the known Erap loyalists updated the tune to "Gloria Magnanakaw [Arroyo the Thief]," prancing excitedly as they waited for Estrada near the Makati City Central Fire Station.

Office worker's protest

The protesters met an unlikely ally in an anonymous office worker who showed his support for the rally but quickly hid after flashing a makeshift placard.

Written in large letters on a piece of brown carton were: "You're evil, lucky b*tch!" referring to Jun Lozada's "evil" tag and Albay Gov. Joey Salceda's "lucky b*tch" remark for the President.

After flashing the sign, the man hid once more behind the crowd, but not before the Erap supporters shouted their approval.

Another crowd-pleaser was an effigy depicting Ms Arroyo as a devil snake, with claws grasping thousand peso bills and a machine gun.

Similar in construction to a Chinese New Year dragon with bamboo stalks supporting the body, the effigy bore none of the cheer associated with the dragon, though it kept the fiery red tones, said Arnold Padilla of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan.

He noted that the body of the snake in camouflage green symbolized the government's predisposition toward using military force for its own ends.

The effigy was made by a group of artists in less than a week.

Suddenly, clear skies

Organizers, however, had no plan of burning the figure, saying such a militant gesture would not be appropriate in the interfaith gathering.

Dark clouds and light drizzles seemed to portend rain but minutes before the start of the program, the skies cleared almost miraculously.

Instead, showers of confetti rained down the intersection, coming from a number of skyscrapers in the central business district.