This predominantly Catholic province welcomed last Thursday the announcement of the Vatican on the appointment of a new Boholano bishop who will succeed Bishop Leonardo Medroso to head the Diocese of Tagbilaran.

Bishop-elect Alberto “Abet” S. Uy, a native of Ubay town is the 12th Boholano to be named bishop. 

“It was not in my wildest imagination that I would become a bishop,” the first statement issued by Uy when called by the Chronicle the morning after his appointment was announced over station dyRD by Fr. Algerio Pana, chancellor of the Diocese of Tagbilaran past 6 o’clock Thursday evening, barely few minutes after the announcement was made by the Vatican.

Bishop-elect Uy  will turn 50 years old on Tuesday.  He is presently the vicar general of the Diocese of Talibon.

He told the Chronicle he could hardly believe when he was personally told of his appointment as bishop by Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, Archbishop Giuseppe Pinto who requested him to fly to Manila a week before the announcement was officially made by the Vatican last Thursday.

“The task given me is indeed so challenging, thus I need the people to pray for me,” the bishop-elect said.

Church sources said his episcopal ordination is already set on Jan 18, 2017 at the Diocese of Talibon. 

The installation of the new bishop is tentatively set on Jan 21, 2017 at the St. Joseph Cathedral.  

The installation date was proposed  by outgoing Bishop Medroso as he wants bishop-elect Uy to already be in attendance during the annual meeting of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Jan 22-25 in Manila

Boholano parishioners welcomed with jubilation the appointment of Uy as the latest Boholano to be named bishop.

He is the 12th bishop from Bohol.

The 11 other Boholano bishops are  Msgr. Manuel M. Mascariñas(deceased), former Bishop of the Diocese of Tagbilaran;  Msgr. Felix Zafra(deceased),  former Bishop of the Diocese of Tagbilaran;   Msgr. Alfredo Bacquial (deceased),  former Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Davao;  Most Rev. Jesus B. Tuquib,Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro;   Msgr. Juan de Dios M.Pueblos,  Bishop of the Diocese of Butuan;  Msgr. Zacarias Cenita Jimenez; Bishop of the Diocese of Pagadian;.  Msgr. Arturo M. Bastes, SVD Bishop of the Diocese of Sorsogon;   Msgr. Romulo G. Valles, Archbishop of Zamboanga;  Msgr. Antonieto D. Cabajog, Bishop of the Diocese of Surigao; . Msgr. Crispin B. Varquez, Bishop of the Diocese of Borongan and  Archbishop Bernardito  Auza, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations.

Bishop-elect Uy is the 7th bishop since the diocese was created 75 years ago.

The other bishops who were assigned in the diocese were: the late Most Rev. Julio Rosales (1946-1949); Bishop Manuel Mascarinas (1951-1976); Bishop Onesimo Gordoncillo (1976-1986); Bishop Feliz Zafra (1986-1992); Bishop Leopoldo Tumulak (1992-2005) and Bishop Leopoldo Tumulak, 1992-2006); and Bishop Leonardo Medroso (2006-2016).

Outgoing Bishop Medroso completed a 10-year stint in the diocese. He recently reached the retirement age of a bishop.

WHO IS BISHOP-ELECT UY?

Bishop-elect Uy, who was born in Ubay town will turn 50 on Tuesday.

He completed his philosophical studies at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Tagbilaran City and his theological studies, first at the St. John Mary Vianney Theological Seminary in Cagayan de Oro City, obtaining a baccalaureate in Sacred Theology and a Masters in pastoral Ministry.

He proceeded to the Loyoola School of Theology in Quezon City, earning a licentiate in Sacred Theology. From 2002 to 2006 he studied in Rome, attending courses for a doctorate in Sacred Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University. 

He was ordained priest for the Diocese of Talibon, April 14, 1993.

He later served as: assistant priest at St. Michael the Archangel parish, Jagna, Bohol (1993-1995); Dean of seminarians at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Tagbilaran City (1995-1997); Vice-Rector at St. John Mary Vianney theological seminary, Cagayan de Oro City (2006-2010). And since 2010, the parish priest at St. Michael the Archangel parish, Jagna, Bohol, taking moral theology courses at the San Carlos Major Seminary of Cebu City. 

Until at present  he was serving since 2012 as Episcopal Vicar for the clergy of the Diocese of Talibon.

The young church leader is known by his parishioners for his relentless campaign against vote buying coupled with the advocacy on the cry against graft and corruption. He led in the organization of mass based support group of concerned citizens in this advocacy during the past elections.