President Rodrigo Duterte thanked Bro. Eli Soriano and the members of the Members Church of God International (MCGI), which is more popularly referred to as ‘Ang Dating Daan’ for the support the group is giving his administration.
“Thank you…for believing in the change that every Filipino prays for,” said President Duterte in a video greeting that was aired during the program’s celebration of 37 years in the broadcast industry and in televangelism.
Here is the full transcript of the President’s message:
“Happy anniversary, and congratulations to Ang Dating Daan or The Old Path, as you celebrate your 37th year in broadcast and evangelization in the Philippines and around the world. To Bro Eli Soriano and the members of the Ang Dating Daan, I would like to thank you for supporting my administration and for believing in the change that every Filipino prays for. Mabuhay kayong lahat! (Long live to you all!)”
Ang Dating Daan held its special presentation on December 15, 2017, at the La Verdad Christian College Auditorium.
Bro. Eli’s Remarks
In his reply, Bro. Eli expressed his appreciation for the acknowledgment given by no less than the Philippines’ chief executive.
“Maraming salamat sa Presidente Duterte sa kanyang pagbati. We support the Duterte administration not because of partisan politics. Naniniwala kami na kaya kami tumutulong at sumusuporta sa gobyerno ay hindi dahil sa anumang religious color, kundi dahil sa karangalan ng ating pinaglilingkurang Dios.”
[Thanks be to President Duterte for his greeting. We support the Duterte administration not because of partisan politics. We believe that the reason why we are helping and supporting the government is not because of any religious color, but for the glory of the God we serve.]
Bro. Eli went on to say that in the past, Ang Dating Daan’s efforts had not been recognized.
“We thank President Duterte in acknowledging the existence of Ang Dating Daan, because for so many years, it seemed that we exist only among the poor. Nobody seemed to recognize us in the higher echelon of society.”
The preacher also mentioned that through Ang Dating Daan’s preaching abroad, other nationalities have accorded respect to Filipinos.
“Sa mga lugar na narating ng pangaral ng Ang Dating Daan, ay nagkaroon sila respeto sa mga Pilipino.”
[In the places which were reached by the preaching of Ang Dating Daan, they have developed respect for Filipinos.”]
Bro. Eli ended his reply with well wishes and blessings for the President, his family, and his administration, saying “we are always here with God’s help to extend our helping hands in whatever small things we can help for the amelioration of the lives of the Filipino people.”
Ang Dating Daan as #PartnerForChange
In recent years, Ang Dating Daan had been collaborating with several government agencies and departments to provide extended public service. This public-private partnership had since then funded scholarship programs, medical care, and other general welfare and support services.
Among the ongoing programs and projects being maintained and supported by MCGI include UNTV Cup, Songs for Heroes, A Song of Praise (ASOP) Music Festival, Brigada Eskwela, to name a few.
For these efforts, Ang Dating Daan had received both local and international recognitions and service citations.
Humble Beginnings
The program had been airing since 1980. For almost four decades when Bro. Eli’s voice was first heard via DWWA, Ang Dating Daan had transformed in the way it delivers religious and biblical discussions.
One of its take-off segments, “Biblia ang Sasagot, Itanong Mo kay Soriano!” (The Bible will Answer, Ask Soriano!) is chiefly instrumental in changing the landscape of religious broadcast and propagation.
By offering a unique platform for people to ask about what they might or anything related to spirituality and the Gospel, Ang Dating Daan had become a household name, a go-to program for anyone seeking explanations on the most controversial matters about the Bible.
Today, Ang Dating Daan is not only just a popular religious program in the Philippines. It has become a social good advocate that promotes doing good to others by way of useful and relevant public service.
For more information about the various public charity endeavors of Ang Dating Daan, visit:
UNTV Cup: www.untvweb.com/untvcup or facebook.com/UNTVCup
Songs for Heroes: www.untvweb.com/news/songs-for-heroes
A Song of Praise (ASOP): www.asoptv.com
News and video clippings of these partnerships can also be accessed via www.untvweb.com and www.mcgi.org.
Written by: Cecile Vizcaya
