By Caesar Ramos Vallejos
The Iglesia Ni Cristo has scheduled numerous Lingap sa Mamamayan Covid-19 pandemic assistance projects aimed at indigents, the elderly, Muslim groups, and members of the media this May, with additional relief efforts planned for June and beyond focusing on different areas of the NCR Plus bubble.
“We’re accelerating our assistance efforts as we continue working hard to defeat Covid-19. The INC is following the lead of Executive Minister Eduardo Manalo in reaching as many people and sectors as possible, all needing help during this ongoing health crisis,” said Bro. Glicerio P. Santos IV of the INC’s Finance Department.
Lingap, the banner project of the Felix Y. Manalo Foundation, has already started and continues to conduct assistance activities by providing goody bags and care packs to the following groups: Seniors and the Elderly (May 25, 530 goody bags), Members of the Media (May 28, 1,000 goody bags), Indigents (May 27-30, 88,452 goody bags) and Muslim groups (May 29, 24,000 goody bags). A planned distribution in GMA, Cavite on June 1 has allocated 2,000 packs for distribution.
The bags include face masks and face shields, alcohol bottle sprays, ascorbic acid and long grain rice packs, which Santos IV explained are to be expanded with more products.
“This is a sustained project that will continue as long as we have not reached herd immunity. The FYM Foundation and INC are ready to mobilize bigger assistance efforts in the near future, as instructed by our Executive Minister Brother Eduardo V. Manalo,” the INC official clarified.
Last April, the Iglesia Ni Cristo allocated Php 9.8M for relief operations in various areas of Quezon City, Manila, Caloocan, Las Piñas, Makati, Malabon, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Parañaque, Pasay, Pasig, Pateros, San Juan, Taguig, Valenzuela, Rizal, Laguna, Cavite and Bulacan, which all form part of the NCR Plus bubble.
“The Lingap sa Mamamayan will always help those in need. Even before the pandemic, the Lingap sa Mamamayan were supervised by the late Auditor General Glicerio B. Santos Jr.” Santos IV noted.
In recent years, Lingap and its counterpart Aid to Humanity campaigns were conducted by the INC in the Philippines and in various foreign countries, including those in parts of Asia, Africa, Australia-New Zealand, the American continent, and in Europe.
“We are taking a more active humanitarian role as we harness the power of prayer, contributing as much as we can in addressing this global challenge,” the INC finance official said.
