Our “I”-filled January

You may all already know that there are several activities/rallies scheduled for January in various parts of the Philippines.

Let us, for now, lump and refer to these as the “I”- activities/rallies.

First are the “I-Believe” processions for the Black Nazarene in Manila last January 9 and the Sinulog Celebration in Cebu on the third Sunday of January.

The 2025 Manila Traslacion took about 21 hours with a reported high of seven million devotees!

Cebu’s Sinulog in honor of the Santo Niño is expected to draw about six million --double the three million 2024 devotees!

Devotion/worship/petition/thanksgiving/answered prayers/miracles, among others, attract millions to repeatedly join these yearly January processions strengthened/supported by millions of rock-hard secular believers.

Next January 13, when Congress resumes, the “Iglesia ni Cristo-INC National Rally for Peace” has been approved to be held at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila.

INC expects thousands to attend the INC rallies in Manila and in different locations across the country -“Legazpi, Ilagan; Puerto Princesa in Luzon; Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod in the Visayas, and Davao, Pagadian, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro in Mindanao.”

While INC explained their rally as “its expression of support for the stance of President Marcos opposing the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte,” critics have referred to the INC rally as against the impeachment and supportive of Duterte’s daughter.

The third rally, led by Bunyog (with 10.3 thousand members, according to its FB page), is scheduled for January 18.

This Bunyog rally is referred to by observers as an “Ilocano - I-rally” because of its clear support for Ilocano Bongbong Marcos.

While the INC rally is considered a pro-Sara rally, the Bunyog rally is viewed as a pro-Bongbong rally.

The next/fourth I-rally, scheduled for January 25th, can be viewed as an “indignation-I rally” or an “Independent-I rally” or “para sa bayan rally.”

In support of CCGG (Clergy and Citizens for Good Governance), this statement for the January 25th rally by the GTTAN (Global Transparency and Transformation Advocacy Network listed the group’s three interrelated avowed missions: “Stand Against Corruption/Reject Political Dynasties/and Push for fair, free election.”

“Even as we focus on these 4 specific issues – (1) the Impeachment of VP Sara Duterte for corruption, violation of the Constitution and undermining public trust, 2) the Most Corrupt Budget 2025 with the complicity of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (BBM) in the plundering of Filipino taxpayers' money to serve the pursuits and gains of politicians, 3) Political Dynasty Candidates and Candidates for Good Governance, and, 4) the Denial of Mandamus 2 by Supreme which denies the Filipino people the right to transparency in the 2022 elections, the problem is systemic.

“We are not only reckoning with corrupt individual politicians but also dealing with anl entire system and its machinery of corruption- the malaise of our times, destroying our way of life and causing great suffering for the Filipino people.

“Thus, we should not merely be against Marcos or Duterte, or even both of them, but against the entire system of corruption and all who support, promote, and perpetuate it. We must condemn this system, envision its radical transformation and view support of candidates committed to good governance a vital step toward achieving systemic change.

“As Filipinos abroad, we join hands with our brothers and sisters in the Philippines in the fight against poverty, inequality, and injustice.

“Together, we envision a brighter future for our children—a future where the poor enjoy basic human dignity, the country progresses, and our lands and seas are protected.

“We strive for a kinder, gentler, and more just world.”

Finally, two other rallies, one for January 27 and another scheduled for January 31, may be unjustly referred to by red-taggers as “the Ideology-I rally” with the Kabataan affiliated with the leftist political coalition, Makabayan, leading the two rallies, respectively.