This coming Friday, Oct. 31, Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) Executive Minister Eduardo V. Manalo will mark a major milestone in his life: the celebration of his 70th birthday. On this important date, Rizaleños and Antipoleños join the more than two million members of the INC spread across more than 100 countries worldwide in greeting him and wishing him 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.

As he marks his natal day, we honor Ka Eduardo for his steadfast leadership and the significant impact he has had on the church and broader society.

Perhaps, it is in times like these that we must appreciate the role that religious leaders play in our society. Whether or not we agree with their theology and approach to building their communities and nurturing their flocks, we cannot deny that they perform tasks that other leaders are unable to do.

People look up to leaders like Ka Eduardo for that one pressing need that is slowly becoming a rare commodity: Hope.

Tension among nations continues to escalate in various parts of the world. Institutions and socio-political structures appear to be disintegrating or, at the very least, are being put under serious scrutiny. In our country, there seems to be no answers yet to the controversies hounding the political sector. Amid all these, we see the worsening division among people, the widespread cynicism, and the absence of a collective sense of joy that is supposed to fuel the productivity of societies.

This is where our religious leaders come in and fill the vacuum.

In churches, small or big, people continue to find a “community” and experience a sense of belonging. They find people they can listen to for direction and who can point them to a source of hope. Having hope during times such as these brings about a sense of peace. Hope and peace inspire people to continue to pursue their ideals and to experience individual and collective transformation.

Proof of this is the INC flock that Ka Eduardo leads.

As we have noted before in previous tributes to the INC Executive Minister, it was the Rizaleño 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.

It is no secret that the INC is one of the most cohesive religious organizations in the world today. It is also a known fact that its pastoral system has helped church members experience personal transformation inspired by its ministers’ dedication to their education in the faith.

As it is with other churches and religious organizations, the INC provides its members with an oasis and a shelter from the current state of escalating conflict in the world today.

This is another reason for our salute to Ka Eduardo. He has successfully led the planting of the faith in nearly all continents of the world. We share in the success of Ka Eduardo. After all, the growth of the INC is not just about spreading religion. It means helping more people gain access to the humanitarian work and social services outreach of the INC.

As we have mentioned in the past, these are the very same contributions 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 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 with the waters of Laguna de Bay that inspired the vision and molded the character of these great Filipinos. We said there must be something about the lake that helped these outstanding Filipinos see the greatness of our race and our innate ability to excel.

Their lives inspire us. Their feats make us proud. The work of their lifetime gives us a lot of reason to believe in the talent and strength of the Filipino.

Happy birthday, Ka Eduardo.