A PROPOSAL to divide the Archdiocese of Cebu is undergoing deliberation, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said yesterday.
Palma, former president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, said in a radio interview the proposal “aims to serve more people, especially in the far-flung areas in the Cebu province.”
Palma said the division has long been planned but deliberations started just recently. Palma first floated the idea of dividing the territory into several dioceses in 2011. However, only the Pope has the authority to divide or merge or create dioceses.
The Diocese of Cebu was established in August 1595. In April 1934, it was elevated into the Archdiocese of Cebu which currently covers the entire Cebu province, has 4.6 million Catholics, over 600 priests, and 174 parishes.
The Archdiocese of Cebu also oversees the dioceses of Dumaguete, Maasin, Tagbilaran, and Talibon.