Legitimate charity solicitation, or just another racket? As Christmas draws closer, traffic jams in metro Manila become more frequent – and so do “preachers" who clamber passenger jeeps and buses, drop envelopes on commuters’ laps, and ask for donations. In several areas in Metro Manila, many of the letters claim to be from one Bro. Malvin Tormis of the United Christian Mission-Luzon Chapter. Tormis, in his letter written in Filipino, claimed the group consists of missionaries helping orphanages to feed, educate and clothe their dependents. He also claimed the group wants to help the sick and victims of recent calamities such as typhoons. “Napakarami naming nais gawin nguni’t hindi namin ito kaya nang nag-iisa. Sa pamamagitan po ng inyong pagbibigay ng DONASYON buong puso po kaming nagpapasalamat sa inyong kagandahang loob at walang sawang pagsuporta sa gawaing ito para sa Panginoon (We want to do a lot but we cannot do so without your donations. We will appreciate any donations from your kind heart so we can do things for the Lord)," he said. But except for a cell phone number – 0916-6127715 - the group did not give other information about itself.

A photo of the solicitation letter distributed to jeep passengers stuck in traffic in Metro Manila. - GMANews.TV
GMANews.TV made calls to the number - Sunday morning, noon and afternoon – but went unanswered. A text message verifying if the number belongs to Tormis likewise went unanswered. A return call was made at 2:41 p.m. but the person on the line refused to answer. On the other hand, the United Christian Mission Luzon Chapter had been operating for more than two years, but its “preachers" become visible only as Christmas draws near. As early as 2007, the group’s “preachers" also distributed letters whose content was identical to those in the letters distributed this year.
“Ang samahang ito ay binubuo ng mga MISYONARYO na nakikipag-isa sa lahat ng mga Kristiyanong nagmamahal sa gawain ng Diyos. Ang layunin po namin ay ang ipadama ang pag-ibig ng Panginoong Hesus, sa pamamagitan ng pagtulong sa mga bahay-ampunan, sa pagpapakain, pagpapaaral at pagbibigay damit sa mga kabataan upang maipadama sa kanila ang pag-ibig na hindi nila nadama sa kanilang mga kapamilya," read the letter’s 2007 edition. (This group is composed of missionaries who are one with Christians who love God. We want to bring Christ to others by helping orphanages, feeding and educating and clothing the youths so they can feel the love of a family). In the 2007 edition, a certain Bro. Ace Alconera was the signatory. Calls to his number at the time – 0906-5130669 – also went unanswered. Meanwhile, the “charity solicitation" has been imitated in other parts of Manila, but done in "crude" ways. In Sampaloc, a man or even a child would clamber a passenger jeep and distribute envelopes asking for money.
“Magandang araw po, Merry Christmas at Happy New Year.
Salamat po (Good day, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Thank you)!" read a handwritten message on an envelope, with the giver saying,
“Kahit barya-barya lang (Even coins will do)."
- LBG, GMANews.TV