Amid troubles, Iglesia cites ‘unprecedented growth’

DESPITE reports of internal dissension and allegations of corruption and rights abuses, the Iglesia Ni Cristo experienced “unprecedented growth” in the last six years under the leadership of executive minister Eduardo Manalo, with more than 17 chapels built and renovated every month since he took over leadership of the sect, according to an INC statement.

This was the result of the outpouring of support from INC members “who continue to embrace our faith and believe wholeheartedly in the church’s evangelization efforts,” said the INC spokesperson, Edwil Zabala, in a statement.

Zabala said that 1,091 chapels in the Philippines had been dedicated under Manalo, who took over in September 2009, one month after his father, Eraño Manalo, passed away. A significant number of chapels had also been established abroad.

“These new chapels are a concrete manifestation of the support given by our members to the church, which is at an all-time high,” Zabala said.

Among the provinces with new and renovated chapels are Bataan, Benguet, Bulacan, Cavite, Camarines Sur, Cebu, Cotabato, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Iloilo, Laguna, La Union, Leyte, Nueva Ecija, Negros Occidental, Palawan, Pangasinan, Rizal, Tarlac and Zambales.

Chapels have also been dedicated in several cities in Metro Manila, including Caloocan, Malabon, Manila, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Pasay, Pasig, Taguig and Quezon City.

According to Zabala, all INC members are free to give whatever they can to support efforts to strengthen the church. “Seeing firsthand the results of their generosity and their sense of community is very encouraging for them. It’s a different feeling when you know where your support is going.”

In 2010, the Philippine census taken by the National Statistics Office found that 2.45 percent of the population were affiliated with the INC, making it the third-largest religious denomination in the country after the Roman Catholic Church and Islam, respectively.

Zabala said that despite the “manufactured controversies” and “nuisance cases” aimed at sowing disunity within the INC, the church “continues to grow from strength to strength.”

The INC has been wracked by controversy in recent months with its top leadership accused of corruption and financial irregularities, and face cases of abduction, illegal detention and harassment. Last week, a group of members calling themselves the “INC Thinking Voters” vowed to defy the group’s long-held bloc-voting practice and vote for the political candidates of their choice in 2016.