MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. reappointed Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) Executive Minister Eduardo Manalo as Special Envoy of the President for Overseas Filipinos Concerns, the Presidential Communications Office announced on Saturday, September 2.

The PCO has yet to provide more details on Manalo’s appointment.

Under former president Rodrigo Duterte, Manalo also held the same position. The INC endorsed Marcos and his then running mate Vice President, Sara Duterte, during the 2022 polls. The church also endorsed Marcos as vice president and the older Duterte as president during the 2016 polls.

It has become a habit of politicians to court the INC to ask for their support during elections. The church, which has around 2.6 million members as of 2015 data, is known to practice bloc-voting or vote politicians according to their leaders’ endorsements.

The current INC executive minister is the grandson of INC founder Felix Manalo, and the eldest son of Eraño Manalo, who was the INC executive minister for 46 years. Eduardo Manalo was ordained a minister in 1980, and eventually became the INC deputy executive minister. (READ: FAST FACTS: Who is Eduardo Manalo, special envoy for OFW concerns?)

In 2009, Eduardo Manalo became the third executive minister of the INC, after his grandfather and father. Under Eduardo Manalo, controversy hounded the INC.

The executive minister’s sibling, Felix Nathaniel “Angel” Manalo, and his mother Cristina appeared in a video posted on YouTube in 2015, appealing for help. The two then said their lives were in danger and talked about the supposed corruption in the church. – Rappler.com