Manila suspends classes on Nov. 17-18 due to INC protests

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno has declared the suspension of face-to-face classes in public and private schools on Nov. 17 and 18, in line with the upcoming rallies to be held by the Iglesia ni Cristo at the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta.

In a statement on Friday, Moreno said the classes will shift to Alternative Delivery Mode on the said dates.

He added that "perimeter support" will be provided, including traffic, parking, police, and medical assistance to ensure order and public safety around the area.

“While we know that the INC is very organized whenever it holds a rally, the City Government of Manila will deploy teams to monitor and provide assistance outside Rizal Park,” Moreno said.

Additionally, Moreno said that there will be 14 ambulance vehicles in key locations for medical emergencies. 

For the three-day event, the Manila Police District will secure the outer perimeter and nearby streets, while the Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau traffic enforcers will be deployed to manage vehicular flow.

“We want to make sure the surroundings remain orderly even beyond the main rally grounds,” he continued.

INC will hold a three-day rally in Rizal Park in Manila, from Nov. 16 to 18, reportedly to call for transparency and accountability in government.

Earlier, the Philippine National Police estimated around 300,000 individuals to participate in the event.

Last Sept. 21, the 53rd anniversary of martial law declared by the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., thousands of Filipinos took to the streets to protest corruption in multibillion-peso flood control projects.

In Metro Manila, the “Baha sa Luneta” rally, which was organized by activist groups and university students, saw thousands of people on the streets by Sunday morning. The “Trillion Peso March” that afternoon, referring to the trillions allegedly lost to systemic corruption, at the People Power Monument on EDSA saw the closure of all northbound lanes due to the swelling of the crowd.