Iriga City joins National Anti-Corruption Drive with Living Rosary

By Luz Villar

Through a luminous display of faith and solidarity, over 200 parishioners, students, and community leaders formed a human Living Rosary at St. Anthony of Padua Church on Saturday evening, October 25, to denounce corruption and seek mercy amid the nation’s ongoing Trillion Peso March movement.

The event, held on the church patio immediately following the 5:30PM mass, drew participants from the University of Northeastern Philippines (UNEP), Ceguera Technological College and AMA Computer Learning Center. Joined by the local Barangay Pastoral Councils, Saradit na Kristyanong Komunidad members, and church lectors, the gathering was led by Parish Priest Fr. Wilmer Joseph S. Tria, with Parochial Vicar Fr. Dexter Peñaflor, Parish Pastoral Council Chairman Mr. Felix Guevara and Worship Ministry Head Mrs. Maria Bella Vargas.

Clad in white attire symbolizing purity and non-partisan resolve, participants arranged themselves into the shape of a white ribbon – a hallmark emblem of the Trillion Peso March Movement – encircled by the beads of a giant rosary formation. As dusk fell, flickering candles illuminated the scene, casting a serene glow over the assembly -underscoring the prayerful protest against systemic graft.

“We gather not just to pray, but to pledge our hearts against the darkness of corruption that has flooded our land with injustice,” said Mike Embestro. “Like the white ribbon that binds us, let our faith weave a path to transparency and renewal.”

Interwoven with the recitation of the rosary were enactment as living tableaux of the Joyful Mysteries by the students of the Holy Child Educational Center. These dramatic vignettes brought to life scenes such as the Annunciation and the Visitation, drawing parallels between Mary’s fiat and the Filipino call for humble repentance in the face of national scandals.

The evening was made more solemn by hymns from the Vox Coeli choir, directed by choir master Gelyn Corporal. Artistic touches, including floral arrangements and symbolic banners, were courtesy of the Mother Butler’s Guild, transforming the patio into a sacred space of reflection.

This local initiative aligns with the Trillion Peso March Movement, a nationwide campaign launched on October 1, in response to allegations of trillions of pesos embezzled in government flood control projects –funds meant to protect vulnerable communities from disasters but diverted through bribery and ghost contracts. Building on the massive September 21 protests that drew over 100,000 participants, the movement –convened by church leaders like Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of Kidapawan and backed by Caritas Philippines and over 130 civil society groups –calls for expedited prosecutions, full financial transparency, and a “National Day of Prayer and Public Repentance”. Weekly “White Friday” demonstrations have since kept the momentum alive, culminating in a major rally planned for November 30, Bonifacio Day.

In Iriga City, a hub of Bikol’s Catholic heritage, the Living Rosary served as both spiritual armor and a microcosm of the Movement’s dual emphasis: fervent public outcry paired with personal conversion. “Corruption isn’t just in the halls of power, it seeps into our daily choices,” Fr. Tria emphasized in his closing message. “Tonight, we reject bribes, hidden dealings, and the small corruptions that erode our families and communities. Through Mary’s intercession, we seek victory over this evil.”

Participants like Marian Yzabela Quinto, 20, member of St. Anthony’s Immaculate Lilies (SAIL) Choir, emphasized the event’s intergenerational appeal. “As youth, we’re not just protesting; we’re praying for a future where integrity is our inheritance,” she said, holding a candle aloft.

The gathering concluded with a collective pledge to sustain the white ribbon symbolism –from home altars to social media –and a renewed commitment to the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines’ broader call for mercy. As the crowd dispersed under a starlit sky, the faint scent of candle wax lingered, a reminder that in the battle against corruption, light prevails through humble, united prayer.