Bro. Eliseo F. Soriano was hailed the “Best Bible-Based TV/Radio Evangelist” by the Dangal ng Bayan Awards on February 27 this year at the AFP Theater, Camp Crame in Quezon City.
Dubbed as “The Truthcaster“, the International Evangelist’s award is seen as an acknowledgement of Bro. Eli’s excellence in preaching and hosting a Bible-based television and radio program.
His more than three-decade-old program, Ang Dating Daan (translated as The Old Path in English) was declared the “Best Longest Running Religious Program”.
The Dangal ng Bayan Awards, which pays tribute to “world-class products and achievers”, ran its 34th edition this year. It was founded by the National Consumers Affairs Foundation and the Dangal ng Bayan Awards Committee.
The awarding was also aimed at “motivating Filipinos to achieve excellence” in the form of recognition for their contribution to the nation and to Filipinos worldwide, Dangal ng Bayan said on its website.
Bro. Eli, Presiding Minister of Members Church of God International (MCGI), is the long-time host of Ang Dating Daan, launched as a radio program in 1980. In 1983, Ang Dating Daan entered mainstream television in the Philippines.
Now, Ang Dating Daan is a multilingual program that covers most of the North and South America as well as other continents. The show airs through free-to-air broadcasts as well as through satellite televisions and Internet webcasts.
MCGI’s Katulong ng Pangangasiwa (Helpers of the Ministry), Bro. Danny Navales accepted the award in behalf of Bro. Soriano and Ang Dating Daan.
“We are thankful to our Lord God for these awards [that] recognize our preacher, Bro. Eli, and the congregation as well,” said Bro. Navales. “These only proves that the teachings we believed in, and our preacher, are acknowledged not only in the Church but also by our friends and the public as well.”
UNTV 37 and its program Kaagapay was also recognized in the event.
The Public Service Channel was awarded as the “No. 1 TV Station Committed to Truth and Genuine Public Service” while Kaagapay was named as the “Best Public Service Oriented TV Program.”
Ang Dating Daan program’s local home is UNTV 37.
(Written by Roy Cruz)