Ang Dating Daan (English: The Old Path, Portuguese: O Caminho Antigo, Spanish: El Camino Antiguo) is a religious radio and television program produced by the Members Church of God International.
Selected episodes of the program can also be viewed on the Internet through the Members Church of God International websites and on YouTube.
Ang Dating Daan is currently airing in 73 countries worldwide and translated in at least 18 languages,[4] including in the United States, United Kingdom (as "The Old Path"), Brazil, Portugal, Mozambique (as "O Caminho Antigo"), Spain, Latin America (as "El Camino Antiguo"), Italy (as "Il Sentiero Antico"),[5] Taiwan[6] (as "古道"), India (as "प्राचीन मार्ग "),[7] Nepal (as "प्राचिन मार्ग बाइबल"), Sri Lanka (as "පැරණි මාර්ගය"), Germany (as "Der Alte Pfad"),[8] France, Haiti[9] (as "L'Ancien Chemin"),[10] Ghana (as "Tete Atempɔn"),[11] Malaysia (as "Jalan Yang Dahulukala"),[12] Japan (as "昔の道"),[13] Papua New Guinea[14] (as "Olpela Rot"),[15] South Africa, Saipan.
In 1970s, Soriano began conducting nightly pulong (gathering) from town-to-town preaching in the province of Pampanga and later realized that his lifetime is not enough to reach the entire Philippines.
[2] The Ang Dating Daan program started in October 1980 on radio station DWWA 1206 kHz, and was also broadcast on DWAR, DZME, DZMB, DWAD, DZRD, and DZXQ (which is now known as Radyo La Verdad).
[19][20][21][22] Print media is also used to propagate the Ang Dating Daan (The Old Path) program through the Magandang Balita (Good News) newspaper that is being distributed in Metro Manila.
[23] On June 1, 2020, the program introduced for the first time to the public the Ang Dating Daan Live Mass Indoctrination through social media platforms as the world including the Philippines prepare for the new normal.
[51][52] In the middle week of February 2021, the Live Bible Exposition as for now are pre-recorded broadcast on social media platforms because of the passing of Brother Eli Soriano.
[53] It is a series of month-long biblical sessions of different topics where the basic teachings and beliefs of the Christian faith are taught prior to joining the church.
[54][55][56] On June 1, 2020, the program introduced for the first time to the public the Ang Dating Daan Live Mass Indoctrination through social media platforms as the world including the Philippines prepare for the new normal.
It also marked the official attempt of MCGI to break the Guinness world record for the "Largest Gospel Choir in a Single Location.
"[59] Under the supervision of Guinness official adjudicator and independent auditing firm Punongbayan & Araullo Grant Thorton, the Guinness world record was awarded to MCGI with a total of 8,688 choristers from the ADD Chorale beating the previous record held by the Philippine religious group Iglesia ni Cristo with 4,745 participants during their 100th centennial anniversary at the Philippine Arena.
[citation needed] On August 16, 2004, the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) preventively suspended the showing of the Ang Dating Daan program for 20 days due to slander and use of offensive and obscene language by its televangelist host Eli Soriano, as a means of disciplinary action.
Soriano challenged the action in court, arguing that the suspension imposed by the MTRCB constituted prior restraint on the media and that his language during the show's August 10, 2004, broadcast was not obscene and offensive.
[62] On April 29, 2009, The Supreme Court upheld the suspension imposed by the MTRCB, ruling that Soriano's statements can be treated as obscene and cannot be considered as protected speech.
The Supreme Court denied Soriano's motion and affirmed the decision with finality in 2010 by an 11–4 vote, noting that "it is a sanction that the MTRCB may validly impose under its charter without running afoul of the free speech clause."