On the route leading to Mount Banahaw in Barangay Sta. Lucia in Dolores, Quezon, members of a religious sect aimlessly perform their daily chores as visitors from all walks of life pay their respects to the leader of the group known as the Suprema dela Iglesia del Ciudad Mystika De Dios, Inc.

Upon our arrival in the sleepy and solemn town, our group was led to a dining hall where a long table was filled with steaming hot soup, grilled fish, pork menudo, and fresh fruits, and where guests were treated with outmost hospitality.

Bayani Mendoza, president of the religious congregation in the area, said it was the best time for us to take our lunch as the group’s leader Isabel Suarez affectionately referred to as Suprema was attending to a long queue of well-wishers, tourists, politicians and simple town folks.

Mendoza began to recite a long litany of his group’s good traits, particularly the bayanihan system which he admitted is instrumental in making ends meet for a religious group with only 50, 000 members nationwide.

I pondered endlessly how a little-known religious group with only more than 1,000 members in the area is able to feed hundreds of mouth daily of sumptuous dishes and delectable delicacies.

“It is not always like days. We serve and feed our guests with what we have. Sometimes it is meat dishes but there are times when we can only offer dried fish and vegetables,’’ Mendoza added.

In the receiving area, Suarez patiently waits for us to finish our lunch as hundreds wait for the arrival of vice presidential bet and Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay who is incidentally was paying her respect to the religious group head.

Suarez said that despite having few members politicians still count for her support, saying that her political blessings never translated to financial paybacks.

She emphasized that her group never accepted financial contributions from non-members swearing that they were able to survive on their own through God’s blessings.

The religious leader recounted an instance where she politely turned down the financial offer of no less than President Arroyo who paid her a visit several years ago in one of her provincial sorties.

Instead of accepting cold cash, Suarez said she just requested the President to fund the repair the main roads leading to the religious sites of Mount Banahaw which she likened to Jerusalem of Israel.

Having been the group’s head for 58 years, Suarez, now turning 72, said that her members never enticed others to join their group, saying that it is up to Jesus Christ to enlighten them if they want to seek members in the religious sect.

Suarez also added that the her congregation is not a cult contrary to what critics want to portray her group but just like any other religion bounded by norms and values based on the original versions of the new and old testament of the Bible.

She shook her head in disbelief that some unprincipled groups try to portray her sect in the negative manner, saying that it is probably due to the stewardship awarded by the government for the occupancy of the 3.7- hectare land.