Eli Soriano

In 1969, Nicolas Antiporda Perez, who was then the church's presiding minister, bestowed upon Soriano the title "minister", making him the only minister in the Iglesia ng Dios kay Kristo Hesus, Haligi at Suhay ng Katotohanan at that time. Rumors were circulating that Soriano was going to be Perez's successor.[18] However, after the death of Nicolas Perez in 1975, Levita Gugulan was appointed temporary Presiding General Secretary of the group. Soriano initially accepted the appointment of Gugulan but subsequently denounced her leadership stating that women should not be leaders of the church according to the Bible.[19]

In 1976, Soriano and his allies left Gugulan's sect. In 1977, Soriano registered a new group, called Iglesia ng Dios kay Kristo Hesus, Haligi at Saligan ng Katotohanan (Church of God in Christ Jesus, Pillar and Ground of Truth), which was later changed to Mga Kaanib sa Iglesia ng Dios kay Kristo Hesus, Haligi at Saligan ng Katotohanan sa Bansang Pilipinas (Members of the Church of God in Christ Jesus, Pillar and Ground of Truth, Philippines).[20][21]

Because of the similarity between the name used by Gugulan's group and Soriano's group, the former filed a suit, which was resolved by the Supreme Court of the Philippines in 2001 in favor of Gugulan's group and Soriano's group was ordered to change their church's name.[22] In 2004 Soriano's group changed their church's name to Members Church of God International.

Before starting his flagship TV program, Soriano would preach in different towns and municipalities in the Philippines.[18] In 1980, Soriano started the radio program, Ang Dating Daan, which later became a television program in 1983. In 1983, Soriano was invited as a panelist in GMA-7's inter-religious program, Dis [This] is Manolo and His Genius Family. He, along with other representatives of religious groups, would debate and defend their beliefs in the show. Soriano won and was awarded "Most Outstanding Gospel Minister of the Year 1983".[18] Soon, Soriano would receive multiple awards from different charity organizations, notably as Bayani ng Lahing Kayumanggi (Hero of the Brown Race).

On January 20, 1999, Soriano was invited to be the guest in Korina Sanchez's talkshow Balitang K (K News). There Soriano admitted that the Ang Dating Doon program, which is a parody of his Ang Dating Daan show, actually helped raise the popularity of the said religious program.[23]

He was in exile[24] in order to evade various death threats he received over the course of his preaching in the Philippines and the countless libel cases he faced from the people he exposed. He has since used this opportunity to preach in other countries.[25]

Currently, Ang Dating Daan airs in 73 countries worldwide including the United States (as The Old Path), Brazil, Portugal (as O Caminho Antigo), Uruguay, Spain (as El Camino Antiguo), India, South Africa, and Saipan.[26]

In his TV show Itanong mo kay Soriano, Biblia ang Sasagot! ("Ask Soriano, the Bible will Answer!"), he invited people to ask him any Bible-related question.[27]

Soriano, through the help of his nephew Daniel Razon, has been spearheading many projects for the indigent. These include free medical and dental check-ups, a free bus ride and a free transient home for homeless people.[28] Soriano and Razon created a free college scholarship program at the La Verdad Christian College in the Philippines and Africa[29] which provides scholarships to deserving youth.[30]

On May 17, 2010, Soriano appeared (through a live video patch) in a concert conceptualized by Daniel Razon and was titled Protest Broadcast 3. The concert aims to help the families of the victims of the Maguindanao Massacre. The victims' representatives received the net proceeds of the concert. The media workers' orphaned children would also be granted scholarships. During his appearance, Soriano harshly criticized former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, whom he blamed for his legal troubles.[24]

On August 1, 2010, Soriano-Razon's free college program would receive further financial support from the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) through a basketball game to be played by the PBA. The game, titled "Hoopsters Meet the Legends: Kahit Isang Araw Lang" was scheduled for the Cuneta Astrodome. The teams involved were the "PBA legends", Hoopsters (led by Razon), and the KAPI team. All the net proceeds would be given to support the free college program of Soriano and Razon.[31]

Soriano and Razon were also involved with the donation and launch of two Mobile Schools (dubbed Dunong Gulong Project[32][33]) equipped with learning tools suited for the ALS (Alternative Learning System) of Philippine Education. The project was initially conceptualized during a talk between Education Secretary Br. Armin Luistro and Razon in the latter's television program Good Morning Kuya.

On November 27, 2010, Education Secretary Luistro signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Daniel Razon at the ADD Convention Center regarding the Dunong Gulong launch.[34][35] The two Dunong Gulong mobile school buses were launched at the SM Mall of Asia on November 28, 2010.[36] "And words became action." This is how Luistro described the project. He is impressed because of the support given by public service channel UNTV and the benevolent group, the Ang Dating Daan then headed by Soriano, to the anti-illiteracy campaign of the Philippines.