THE VIEW FROM RIZAL
By DR. JUN YNARES
Dr. Jun Ynares
Last Thursday, October 31, Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) Executive Minister Eduardo V. Manalo celebrated his 64th birth anniversary. Ka Eduardo, as our readers know, is the third leader of the INC to hold the position of executive minister, a function, role and mission he has lived up to for the past 10 years.
On this special occasion, we join our fellow Antipoleños and Rizaleños in wishing Ka Eduardo the blessings of good health and long life.
Ka Eduardo continues the mission handed over to him by the INC from his late father, the highly revered Eraño Manalo or Ka Erdie. Ka Erdie, in turn, received that mission from the INC following the death of his father, INC founder Felix Y. Manalo.
It was Felix Manalo who founded the INC; it was Ka Erdie who grew it; and, it was Ka Eduardo who shepherded its entry into the age of modern information and communication technology while overseeing its rapid expansion worldwide.
Ka Eduardo is anointed for that particular role. Unknown to many non-members, the current INC minister is recognized as a leading figure in the information and technology community. In the early years of the Internet’s growth, he was already recognized by the magazine Computerworld Philippines as being part of a “group of pioneers that brought the Philippines into the Internet Age.”
That and other recognition received by Ka Eduardo in this field must have been the fruit of his initiatives at tapping the power of the cyberworld to propagate the message and the work began by his grandfather. According to Internet sources, Ka Eduardo “founded the Society of Communicators and Networkers (SCAN) for INC members with a common interest in radio communication to help and assists the community during emergencies.”
“He also began and maintained a popular Bulletin Board System (BBS) and further developed his programming skills. He organized the Data and Network Management (DNM) office, which oversaw the computerization of the entire INC Central Office. He sponsored Internet seminars for ministers in various ecclesiastical districts of the church,” the internet sources say.
“He contributed to the founding of an organization within the INC called The Association of Christians in Information Technology, an organization consisting of INC members who perform computer-related assistance to the church. This organization was renamed and became the Association of Computer Technologists and Information Volunteers (ACTIV) in 2012,” Internet sources add.
It is through the INC’s well-designed Internet and social media presence that the rest of the country becomes aware of its rapid global expansion.
Based on information from the INC’s church and media websites, it appears that Ka Eduardo has successfully led the planting of the faith in nearly all continents of the world. We share in the success of Ka Eduardo’s success. After all, the growth of the INC is not just all about spreading religion. It means helping more people gain access to the humanitarian work and social services outreaches of the INC.
These are the very same contribution that the INC has consistently given to the communities of Rizal province and Antipolo City.
We always take pride in saying that there is Rizaleño blood flowing in the veins of the executive minister. After all, his grandfather, the revered Felix Y. Manalo, was born and grew up in what used to be part of an expansive Rizal province – the erstwhile town of Taguig, in that now-famous barangay of Tipas.
In past columns, we wrote about how we marveled at the history of the so-called lakeshore towns – the municipalities of Rizal and Laguna provinces that line the shores of Laguna de Bay. We said we found it interesting that these lakeshore towns are the birthplaces and hometowns of some of the outstanding Filipinos who distinguished themselves in the fields of the visual and musical arts, and public service.
Among these greats are our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, Philippine flag creator Delfina Herbosa, and World War II hero Vicente Lim of Calamba, Laguna; Declaration of Independence author Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista of Biñan; the artists of the lakeshore towns of Rizal, including the great Botong Francisco and Maestro Lucio San Pedro.
In those articles, we wondered what it was the waters of Laguna de Bay which inspired the vision and molded the character of these great Filipinos. We said there must be something about the lake which helped these outstanding Filipinos see the greatness of our race and out innate ability to excel.
Their lives inspire us. Their feats make us proud. The work of their lifetime give us a lot of reason to believe in the talent and strength of the Filipino.
Happy, birthday, Ka Eduardo.
On another note, we offer our sympathies and prayers to our countrymen in the Cotabato and Davao provinces which have been hit by series of strong earthquakes. We condole with the families of those who perished in the killer temblor.
It is in times like this when the strength and resiliency of the Filipino rise to the occasion.
*For feedback, please email it to [email protected] or send it to #4 Horse Shoe Drive, Beverly Hills Subdivision, Bgy. Beverly Hills, Antipolo City, Rizal.