By Leslie Ann Aquino
Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles will officially start his second term as president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines on Sunday, December 1.
Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles
(ALI VICOY / MANILA BULLETIN)
Valles was reelected as head of the bishops conference last July during the CBCP Plenary Assembly together with his Vice President Kalookan Bishop Pablo David.
Other elected members of the CBCP Permanent Council who will also assume their posts on Sunday were: Palo Archbishop John F. Du (Treasurer), Fr. Marvin S. Mejia (Secretary General), Msgr. Bernardo R. Pantin (Asst. Sec. General/Asst. Treasurer).
Named regional representatives for Luzon were Alaminos Bp. Ricardo L. Baccay (North), Balanga Bp. Ruperto C. Santos (Central), Masbate Bp. Jose S. Bantolo (South), Lucena Bp. Mel Rey M. Uy (Southeast), and Pasig Bp. Mylo Hubert C. Vergara (Southwest).
Representing Visayas will be Talibon Bp. Patrick Daniel V. Parcon (Eastern & Central) and Kabangkalan Bp. Louie P. Galbines (West).
In Mindanao, Ozamis Abp. Martin S. Jumoad (North) and Mati Bp. Abel C. Apigo (South) will be the CBCP representatives.
On Wednesday, November 27, the Permanent Council will meet in the morning at the CBCP in Intramuros, Manila.
"It is as a thank you and welcome to outgoing and incoming Permanent Council members," Balanga Bishop Ruperto Santos said in an interview.
The CBCP is also expected to meet with Vice President Leni Robredo in the afternoon but there is no word yet if this will still push through or not.
"As of now, there is no communication from our Secretary General Father Marvin Mejia if meeting with VP will push through or not," said Santos.
"For me, it is still better to see us, open to us what really happened, and or her plans," he added.
In a separate interview with Mejia, he said he was still waiting for advice from Valles.
To note, Robredo was already fired by President Duterte, Sunday as co-chair of the Inter-agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD).
The Plenary Assembly meets in regular session twice a year in January and in July. When the Plenary Assembly is not in session, the Permanent Council acts for and in behalf of the Conference.
They will serve from December 1, 2019 to November 30, 2021.