Truth be told, writing this particular entry related to the Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ or INC) is both intentional and coincidental. Incidental because this particular entry has long been planned to be published in time for what the church considers its 122nd anniversary on July 27 (the date the church was registered in the country in 1914). But as fate would have it, recent circumstances have made writing this piece a challenge as this may be a lightning rod for potential issues even if the topic has nothing to do with those recent events.
But as a chronicler who seeks balance and fact above everything, one has to try. And regardless of what you think about the INC, in terms of architecture at least, there is no doubt that it has transformed the landscape of the country, thanks to the Neo-Gothic worship places it has built over the years.
The most prominent of these INC is its massive Central Temple or the Templo Central located along Commonwealth Avenue. But Templo Central is just one part of a massive complex of structures that belonged to the religious group and affiliated organizations and enterprises, most of which located within a barangay all its own.
New Era
According to the INC, “New Era” represents a significant foundation of their theology as pertains to the period when God restored His true Church as the world is entering what it considers its last days before the second coming of Jesus Christ. And for the INC, the beginning of this “New Era” is 1914, the year the church was established. It also coincided with the outbreak of World War I, which the INC believes marked the beginning of the last days. Critics however argued that the “New Era” term was more of a veiled attempt to further the legacy of Eraño G. Manalo, the late executive minister of the INC and son of its founder Felix Y. Manalo. (hint: look at the words “New Era” and “Eraño” for the supposed connection).
Whatever the case, the first instance of the use of “New Era” towards a wider public consciousness. This began in 1975 when the New Era Educational Institute was founded in Manila, a nonsectarian academic institution, albeit affiliated with the INC was established. Then when the INC secured a large tract of property along Commonwealth Avenue and nearby areas in Barangay Culiat in Quezon City and began building what would become the Templo Central, then Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Sr. signed Presidential Decree No. 1760 in 1981, which carved out these areas out of Culiat and become a separate barangay: New Era.
The establishment of Barangay New Era and the completion of the Templo Central marked the rapid development of what was once an area that used to be open land and informal settler residences. INC began building new structures, including a larger campus for their New Era school, which relocated there by 1986 and would become New Era University in 1995 and a hospital, the New Era General Hospital. There was also a boost in population, as INC members who are either working in the central offices of the INC or just wanted to live closer to Templo Sentral, began to move there as well. New Era had effectively become an INC enclave.
In a way, New Era became an incubator of sorts for the INC in its ability to create communities for its brethren. And with the “success” of the New Era, Quezon City endeavor, INC went on to build new communities, some of them bore the “New Era” name as well.
Central Avenue
While Barangay New Era is bounded by Tandang Sora Avenue in the north, Commonwealth Avenue in the east, and Central Avenue in the south, considered as the heart of the barangay because of the dominating presence of many INC institutions there.
As the road also serves as part of the boundary of Barangay UP Campus, one can also find the Asian Institute of Tourism, the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute and the Arboretum.
But going back to the INC connection, there are a few other landmarks along this stretch of the road that is related to the religious group. Curiously though, they are not located within New Era’s jurisdiction but are in Culiat. One of them is a convention center administered by the church, the EVM Convention Center. Purportedly named after the initials of the INC’s executive minister Eduardo V. Manalo, the convention center has three exhibition halls, with a combined capacity of over 4500 guests.
Beside is the sprawling complex of Eagle Broadcasting Corporation, the more “secular” media network of the INC, compared to its more religious-oriented sibling Christian Era Broadcasting Service, whose headquarters is located within the INC central offices itself. Eagle Broadcasting operates the Radyo Agila networks on the AM band, Eagle FM, and Net 25.
Lastly, there is the Iglesia ni Cristo Museum. While we had visited this museum in the past, it was then located at the area of Templo Sentral. Since then, 2019 to be specific, it has moved into a much larger space, a five-storey structure designed by National Artist for Architecture Francisco Mañosa, who famously designed the Coconut Palace, among others.
The facade of the museum bears the year “1914”, symbolizing the year the INC was established. Unfortunately, as was the case in the old museum, the new Iglesia ni Cristo Museum forbids taking photos of the exhibitions but suffice to say, there is so much to see inside, even if you;re not a member of the church.
In addition, the Iglesia Ni Cristo Museum has a YouTube channel where one can see some to the items exhibited inside.
As areas shaped by the Iglesia Ni Cristo, New Era and Central Avenue have grown beyond being important places for the INC but as significant areas that have shaped the metropolis today. And as the INC evolves in the future, there is no doubt these places will evolve as well.
Acknowledgements as well to New Era University, Wikipedia, and Rappler
