Even as movie stars and musicians kept the crowd of thousands rocking in Makati City, Roces urged the protesters to spurn violence in resolving the current political standoff.
"By the grace of God, we will resolve all of these problems by peaceful means," Roces said in Filipino before the crowd of protesters demanding President Arroyo’s resignation.
Roces did not specifically call for Mrs. Arroyo’s resignation but made it clear she was against moves to amend the Constitution.
She said the administration had further confused the people in its push for a parliamentary form of government.
"Tayo sa kasalukuyan ay kanilang nililito (We are being confused by the administration)," Roces said.
"Ibalik natin and dangal ng Pilipino (Restore the dignity of the Filipino)!" the widow of defeated presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr. shouted at the conclusion of her speech.
It was the largest gathering so far in a seven-week-old campaign to force Mrs. Arroyo from power following the controversy over audio recordings of supposedly wiretapped phone conversations that caught her talking to a senior election commissioner during the canvassing period of the May 2004 election.
Roces was joined by Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay, Ilocos Norte Rep. Imee Marcos, Sorsogon Rep. Francis Escudero, former defense secretary Renato de Villa. Singer Rico J. Puno was the master of ceremonies.
The gathering was reminiscent of the campaign rallies of Poe, who was defeated by Mrs. Arroyo in the presidential election in May last year.
Poe filed an election protest against President Arroyo, but died last Dec. 14 before it could be resolved. It was later dismissed by the Supreme Court.
"Ipinagmamalaki ko kayo dahil alam ninyo na ang pandaraya ay mali at hindi dapat tularan (I am proud of you people since you have learned that cheating should not be tolerated)," the white-clad Roces told the cheering crowd of protesters.
To the tune of the Beatles’ "Don’t Let Me Down," a crowd of thousands sang "Gloria Step Down" and literally brought the financial district of Makati City to a standstill.
The crowd was a mix of leftist factory workers, students and star-struck supporters of Poe and of former President Joseph Estrada, a movie star friend of Poe who was ousted from the presidency following a corruption scandal in January 2001.
Observers said the rally — estimated at 20,000 or so supporters — would be a barometer of public sentiment and show if the opposition could muster enough support to oust Mrs. Arroyo in a "people power" revolt similar to the one that removed longtime dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1986 and Joseph Estrada, Arroyo’s immediate predecessor, in 2001.
The crowd eagerly awaited Roces, who has accused Mrs. Arroyo of stealing the presidency "not once, but twice" — from her late husband last year and from Estrada in 2001.
"Your government is not sleeping, your government is not paralyzed," Mrs. Arroyo said.
"We always listen to the needs of the Filipino people, especially government workers," the President told cheering employees of the Light Railway Transit Authority after announcing the release of their overtime pay.
Mrs. Arroyo stressed the government continues to function notwithstanding the political troubles facing her administration.
She said the government will continue to deliver basic services to the people despite the mounting protest rallies in the streets.
The President has defied demands for her resignation over allegations of vote-rigging in last year’s election and graft by members of her family.
To quit now, Mrs. Arroyo said, would condemn future governments to endless turmoil.
"She will not make a decision based on the number of people in the streets," said Presidential Management Staff chief Rigoberto Tiglao.
Tiglao also scoffed at reports that the opposition could muster up to one million people in protests set to continue until Sunday.
Tiglao admitted, however, on state-run Radyo ng Bayan that the increasing street protests had affected the delivery of basic services owing to the distraction of some officials concerned over the raging issues facing the administration.
"But we are working hard to immediately implement our pro-poor programs and we are reminding our officials not to be distracted by this political noise and concentrate on discharging their duties," he said.
Though hurt by the defections of a third of her Cabinet, Mrs. Arroyo remains focused on supervising the daily affairs of government, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said.
"We just want to show to the world that what is happening in Manila are not necessarily the same sentiment we get from the provinces," Ermita added.
Mrs. Arroyo is clinging tenaciously to power despite last Friday’s resignation of her Cabinet officials and resignation calls from business groups, erstwhile political allies and former President Corazon Aquino.
The political crisis also took an increasing toll on the economy.
Moody’s Investors Service on Wednesday cut its credit ratings outlook to negative from stable, following similar moves by Standard & Poor’s and Fitch Ratings earlier this week.
The agencies fear the crisis could distract the government from the main objective of shoring up its fiscal position.
Under overcast skies, about 100 helmeted riot police barricaded the entrance to the stock exchange with their shields as a small group of young protesters armed with megaphones chanted "Gloria, alis (out)!"
The main avenues in Makati City were closed to traffic earlier yesterday, forcing stock exchange traders and office workers to walk to work past small groups of protesters massing ahead for the mid-afternoon rally.
Some 4,000 soldiers were ready for deployment anywhere in Manila amid fears that communist guerrillas or Islamic militants could mount terror attacks to exploit the political crisis, said Capt. Ramon Zagala, spokesman for the military’s National Capital Region Command.
Police across the country also went on full alert due to fears that protests could be infiltrated by communist rebels.
However, street rallies, including yesterday’s, so far have drawn smaller crowds than in 1986 and 2001, when massive army-backed "people power" revolts toppled two sitting presidents.
The opposition claimed the crowd would swell over the day to 40,000 or 50,000 but it was far from the hundreds of thousands who took to the streets in overthrowing two presidents in 1986 and 2001.
Analysts also said Mrs. Arroyo would not be under immediate threat unless protests grew larger and more frequent.
One businessman said the key would be whether workers in surrounding office towers in Makati joined the marchers in the streets.
"It depends on the quality of the crowd," he said. "If they see the usual rent-a-mob, then I think they’ll disregard it."
There were no signs yet that Mrs. Arroyo’s traditional foes — leftist, student and farmers’ groups combined with Estrada supporters — were being joined by the middle class, whose presence was crucial in past uprisings. — With Paolo Romero, AP, AFP