Local leaders on Wednesday paid tribute to Iglesia ni Cristo Supremo, Erano “Ka Erdie” Manalo, who passed away last August 31.

Former President Joseph Estrada described Manalo a spiritual giant “who kept the flame of faith burning that helped bind a nation in an era of turmoil and crisis.”

“I feel a great personal loss over the sudden passing of Ka Erdie whose family and mine go back a long way when our small town of San Juan was still in its infancy,” Estrada said.
 
Estrada was in General Santos in Cotabato when he learned of the INC leader’s demise, saying he will cut his week-long schedule to fly back to Manila “to express my family’s sympathy in person” and join the multitude of mourners streaming into the INC compound in Quezon City.

He aired confidence that the Manalo family will find consolation “in the proud legacy Ka Erdie has left.”

“Ka Erdie’s enthusiasm to help unify a nation matched his admirable personal decorum in respecting the principle of separation of church and state, and for that, and for everything he has done to the country’s spiritual development, he will be long remembered by a grateful nation.”

The passing of Manalo will be deeply felt for a long time by the people of the Second District of Quezon City where its Central Temple and its New Era University are located, said QC’s Second District Rep. Annie Rosa L. Susano, author of the resolution in the House of Representatives that later became a law designating July 27 of every year as Iglesia ni Cristo Day.

Susano said her more than 1.6 million constituents join her in conveying their profound condolences to the INC members for the untimely demise of Manalo whose stewardship of Iglesia ni Cristo made it among the most revered religions in the world as evidenced by the fact that its presence is visibly felt in more than 90 countries around the globe.

She said Ka Erdie, during his lifetime, has become a pillar of faith, a man of wisdom, a revered symbol of unity and an agent of peace, love, and cooperation.

“A gifted religious leader, Ka Erdie is also a man of great vision who inspired not only the INC faithful but the rest of the nation,” Susano said.

It is not surprising that even Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines President Angel Lagdameo conveyed his profound condolences to INC, Susano pointed out.

Caloocan City Mayor Enrico “Recom” Echiverri also joined the entire nation in extending condolences and prayers to the family and members of the INC following the death of Manalo.

Echiverri, in mourning the spiritual leader’s death, said that with the death of Ka Erdie the country lost another great, respected, and gifted leader.

“After my family and I learned of his passing away on Monday afternoon, we were deeply saddened and would like to express our prayerful condolences to his bereaved family and the INC community,” he said.

Echiverri said Manalo was a man of God whose life and sacrifices will continue to inspire millions of Filipinos to follow and live according to the teachings of Christ.