MANILA — Groups on Saturday criticized a plan for a massive rally on Sunday that government said is meant as a kick-off for "Bagong Pilipinas", the Marcos Jr. administration's branding.

Around 200,000 are expected to attend the rally, which the Presidential Communications Office said is a reminder to the nation "to transform the Filipino with Filipino pride."

Partido Manggagawa acknowledged that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has the right to organize rallies but raised concerns that the event is linked to a People's Initiative signature campaign to revise the 1987 Constitution.

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The Senate is working on a parallel attempt to change economic provisions in the charter to head off the People's Initiative campaign that proposed to have Congress vote jointly on constitutional changes.

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"The invitation, with its directive tone to barangay officials to attend the Luneta Rally on Sunday, to be graced by the President himself, cannot be dismissed as mere coincidence," PM chair Renato Magtubo said, referring to alleged circulars and memoranda directing local officials to attend the rally, which will be held at the Quirino Grandstand.

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He said that the elevation of "Bagong Pilipinas" — already launched last year as a government slogan — to a full campaign "can only be linked politically with the most active, well-organized, administration-led PI campaign for [Charter Change]."

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'FRIVOLOUS AFFAIR'

Bayan Muna party-list, in a separate statement, said it has monitored orders "issued by various officials of government agencies" directing their staff to attend the rally, with food and transportation to be shouldered by the government.

The group said the "frivolous affair" is a waste of taxpayers' money that should instead be used for social services.

The rally will include a Serbisyo Fair, where government agencies like the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Social Security System and Philippine Health Insurance Corp. will provide services to attendees.

"These unconscionable and desperate measures are using millions of government funds for a program so similar to the despised 'Bagong Lipunan' of yore," former Bayan Muna Rep. Ferdinand Gaite said, in reference to pro-government rallies during the time of the President's father and namesake.

According to the PCO, the President is expected to lead the "Bagong Pilipinas" kick-off.

He will be joined by his family, members of the Cabinet, and government officials, as well as by celebrities and entertainers.

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