THE Jesus Is Lord Church (JIL) on Friday called on Filipinos to pray for peace and unity amid the political tensions that are dividing the country.
This developed as televangelist Eddie Villanueva thanked President Aquino for taking part in the JIL’s celebration, and said that the group will pray for him to always take the righteous path in leading the country.
Villanueva, the religious organization’s founder, said all Filipinos regardless of religion must rise up as one, take a stand, and pray for peace to reign in all parts of the country.
“My vision for the Philippines is for each and everyone of us to be peacefully united with one another. But peace is a long process that starts with the acknowledgment, especially from our leaders, that we have done wrong to our countrymen. It is only after the mistakes have been acknowledged can the country move forward,” Villanueva said.
For his part, Director General Joel Villanueva of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority said poverty alleviation is another key toward achieving peace and unity in the country.
“Inclusive growth will only be just words unless our countrymen get employment opportunities that will allow them to provide for the basic needs of their families. There will always be restlessness in our country until such time when the economic gap between the rich and the poor is narrowed,” Joel Villanueva said.
The 36th anniversary of JIL, which was held on Friday at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila, was attended by an estimated 1 million of its followers.
Over the past few months, scandals on the use of the Priority Development Assistance Fund and the Disbursement Acceleration Fund divided the country. On its heels followed alleged corruption issues on Vice President Jejomar Binay and his family.
“All of these issues need to be resolved at the soonest possible time for the country to move forward. The Lord will be the one to direct us through the right path. We just have to be still and know that He is God,” Villanueva said.
He added that JIL will pray that the next set of leaders the country will elect in 2016 would continue the reforms that were started by the Aquino administration.