• San Juan

    The Iglesia ni Cristo at F. Manalo, San Juan

    The Iglesia ni Cristo, (INC) the religious group founded by Felix Manalo in July 1914, grew in numbers and influence by the 1930s. Even after World War II, in which the INC suffered greatly as well, it still managed to become a dominant force in Philippine society, thanks in part for its practice of bloc-voting that many aspiring politicians sought to have. Perhaps the most visible example of INC’s growth after the war was the building of what would be its central temple and offices in Barrio (now Barangay) Santa Lucia in the then suburban town of San Juan outside Manila. From 1952 to 1968, this would the INC’s “home base,” so…

  • City of Manila

    Punta and the Iglesia Ni Cristo

    To those who happened to have read my previous roaming adventure in Punta, I mentioned this particular landmark well-preserved in its pre-war glory. I wasn’t able to further check it out the last time. Thankfully I got to correspond with the landmark’s curator, who was able to arrange a schedule for a visit to see what’s inside. This is the Iglesia Ni Cristo Museum at Punta, which was the first formal place of worship for the Philippine Christian group the Iglesia Ni Cristo. (INC) While, the structure itself was built in 1937, there was already a deep connection between the INC and Punta, going way back to the establishment of the INC…