PHILIPPINES – Two major public rallies were conducted in Manila, Philippines on Sunday, in protest demanding government accountability and transparency in the wake of two deadly typhoons.

A total of 16,433 police officers are to be stationed at the two main rally locations: Rizal Park in Manila, where religious group Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) is hosting its “Rally for Transparency and a Better Democracy,” and the EDSA People Power Monument in Quezon City, where the United People’s Initiative (UPI) is holding its own event.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is closely observing the large-scale protests, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Acting Secretary Dave Gomez said on Sunday, according to the Philippine News Agency.

“Yes, the president is monitoring today,” Gomez told reporters, as thousands of INC members and supporters began their three-day protests at Rizal Park in Manila.

By 11 am (0300GMT), the Manila City government reported that there were 27,000 participants.

Meanwhile, the Quezon City rally, organized by the United People’s Initiative – a group led by retired military officers – aims to uphold democratic values by calling for greater accountability and transparency in government.

There will be no political agenda at the rally in Quezon City, UPI Secretary-General Rey Valeros told reporters, according to Inquirer.

“No politician should even speak. We will allow them, however, if they will only speak about the problems of our country, like corruption,” he said.

The rallies came after the Southeast Asian country was hit by Typhoon Fung-wong and Typhoon Kalmaegi this month, killing at least 259 people and affecting millions of others, while 114 people remained missing.

In September, thousands of people staged protests in different parts of the Philippines, including capital Manila, against alleged corruption.

Rallies erupted after mass fraud was detected in some 9,855 flood-control projects that were worth more than 545 billion pesos ($9.5 billion).

Protesters demanded accountability from corrupt politicians, the release of statements detailing assets, liabilities, and net worth, and the signing of bank secrecy waivers by all government officials.