Philippines - January 31, 2025 Tensions over the 2025 national budget in the Philippines have escalated as crowds gathered for an indignation rally against corruption and impunity, blocking a portion of a road in front of the EDSA Shrine in Quezon City, an urban center in Metro Manila, on Friday. Protesters expressed their outrage over the national budget, which many believe undermines essential services like education and healthcare. The rally's battle cry, "to fight and not to fear," resonated through the crowd, which included members of the Catholic Church, civil society organizations, youth activists, and senior citizens. The protesters voiced their frustration over what they describe as a lack of transparency in the budget, claiming it prioritizes the interests of politicians over the welfare of the Filipino people. In December last year, Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos signed into law a 6.33 trillion peso (approximately 109.3 billion U.S. dollar) national budget for 2025, marking a 9.7 percent increase from the previous year. However, concerns are mounting over significant cuts to crucial sectors. Notably, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation has faced defunding, while the Department of Education's computerization program lost 10 billion pesos (171 million U.S. dollars), raising alarms about the government's commitment to digital literacy and school modernization. Legal challenges are also emerging, as a petition questioning the constitutionality of the 2025 national budget has been filed with the Supreme Court by Marcos' former executive secretary Vic Rodriguez in late January. In response, Marcos dismissed the petition as baseless, criticizing its motives and warning of potential destabilization. The Clergy and Citizens for Good Governance says it plans to file a similar petition, urging the court to evaluate the budget's constitutionality and calling for its repeal. The organization says it advocates for a "people's budget" that prioritizes education, healthcare, and infrastructure, while cutting funding for programs they argue foster corruption. Shotlist: Quezon City, Philippines - Jan 31, 2025: 1. Various of protesters holding banners, chanting slogans; 2. SOUNDBITE (English) Cielo Magno, spokeswoman, Clergy and Citizens for Good Governance: "I personally expressed that this is the most corrupt budget in the history of the Philippines. It is the most corrupt not because there are a lot of leakages in terms of money. It is the most corrupt because the priorities of this budget are so obvious. The priority is to finance programs and projects that would promote the interests of politicians."; 3. Various of protesters holding banners, chanting slogans; 4. EDSA Shrine, surrounding buildings; 5. Protesters holding banners. [Restriction - No access Chinese mainland]