MANILA, Philippines – The capital stood still on Monday, October 14, as thousands joined a massive Iglesia Ni Cristo event where the religious group distributed bags of rice, canned goods and medical kits to residents of Metro Manila.

Monday’s traffic — despite the suspension of classes in the National Capital Region — was so bad it forced the Supreme Court to suspend work at the High Tribunal, the Court of Appeals, as well as in courts in Manila and Quezon City.

The medical mission, called “Kabayan Ko, Kapatid Ko” (My Countrymen, My Brethren), is part of the religious group’s countdown to its centennial in 2014.

Watch videos from the event below.

Aries Lacson, an INC member who was coordinating the event in Manila, dismissed speculation that this was yet another show of political force for the INC.

“People tend to attach politics to INC events,” Lacson said in Filipino. “The fact that Erap Estrada is the mayor of Manila does not mean we’re doing this for politics.” (INC has supported Estrada’s political career.)

When asked why the INC chose to hold the activity on a Monday, Lacson explained that this coincided with their “evangelical mission” in the United States.

Most of the people we saw at Nagtahan, Manila, are not from Manila. Pedrito Cabarles, 51, came all the way from Tanay, Rizal. He said he joined the mission to sell snacks and bring his INC recruits who missed the “evangelical mission” when it was held in their area last month.

The activity was open to non-INC members. Eva Dionisio, 63, a born-again Christian from Sta. Ana, Manila told me she was invited by an INC neighbor to attend the activity so she could get some food packages. Odin Ramos, 17, a Catholic from Pasay City, made sure to bring his siblings to the event for the same reason: to get food.

Lacson said this should not be misunderstood, adding that the INC mission is all about sharing. – Rappler.com