On July 24, 20,000 people rallied to mark President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's annual State of the Nation address to the Philippines Congress. Arroyo has survived a deep political crisis that resulted from revelations of widespread cheating during the 2004 elections. A climate of intensified violence is growing while opposition groups, such as the Laban ng Masa (Struggle of the Masses) coalition is calling for the establishment of a provisional revolutionary government.
Photo by Ben Reid.