By Ferdinand Patinio/Philippine News Agency
MANILA — Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles was re-elected on Saturday as president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
According to an article posted on the CBCP news website, the 67-year-old Davao prelate was chosen by his colleagues during their plenary assembly in Manila, which started on July 6 and will end on Monday, July 8.
He will be serving his second and last term as leader of the Catholic bishops’ group in the country.
Valles was first elected as CBCP head in July 2017, succeeding Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan.
His re-election would also make him the more visible face of the church as it gears for the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines in 2021.
The bishops also re-elected Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David as vice president, Palo Archbishop John Du as treasurer and Fr. Marvin Mejia as secretary general.
Their terms of office will begin on December 1, 2019, up to November 30, 2021.
Elected CBCP officials have a two-year tenure in office, or a total of four to include the second term.
Some 83 bishops, 73 of them are active and five are retired, are present at the bi-annual meeting held at the Pope Pius XII Catholic Center.
On the other hand, Pope Francis expressed support to the CBCP members as they hold their plenary assembly, where they discuss issues that affect the Church and the country.
The Holy Father also wished their gathering “bear fruit for the benefit of all the faithful in an environment of living communion”.
At present, the CBCP is composed of 134 members— 83 of whom are active, three are administrators, and 45 are retired from 86 ecclesiastical jurisdictions.
The plenary assembly is held twice a year– in January and in July.
For the latest updates about this story, visit the Philippine News Agency website
