POPE Francis has appointed Cebu Auxiliary Bishop Midyphil Billones as the new archbishop of Jaro, Iloilo, where he was ordained a priest 29 years ago.
In a report by CBCP News, the Pontiff appointed Billones on Sunday as the successor of now retired Archbishop Jose Romeo Lazo as shepherd of the Jaro archdiocese.
“Pope Francis appointed Billones, 55, to lead the archdiocese in Iloilo province,” said CBCP News, the official news agency of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
“As the 14th archbishop of Jaro, he will oversee the archdiocese, which covers Iloilo province and city, as well as Guimaras,” it added.
Earlier, Pope Francis approved the retirement of Lazo, who is already 76 years old.
Born in Panay, Capiz, Billones studied Philosophy at St. Vincent Ferrer Seminary in Iloilo City and Theology at Loyola School of Theology in Quezon City. He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Jaro in October 1995.
Billones subsequently served the archdiocese in various capacities, including as personal secretary to Archbishops Alberto Piamonte and Angel Lagdameo.
In July 2019, Pope Francis appointed him as auxiliary bishop of Cebu. Billones was ordained to episcopate on August 27, 2019, at the Jaro Cathedral.