Ang Pahayagan

The Dioceses of Cabanatuan, Tarlac and Balanga in Central Luzon are set to welcome their new bishops.

The canonical installations of Bishop Prudencio Andaya Jr. of Cabanatuan, Bishop-elect Rufino Sescon of Balanga and Bishop Roberto Mallari of Tarlac, are set in February and March.

In a social media post Tuesday, the Diocese of Cabanatuan set Andaya’s installation as its sixth bishop on Feb. 3.

Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Philippines (CBCP) News website reported that Sescon’s installation as Balanga bishop is set for March 1.

The Diocese of Tarlac, in a separate post, announced that Mallari will assume as its new bishop on March 27.

In December 2024, the Vatican announced the appointments of the bishops.

Prior to his appointment, Andaya has been serving as the shepherd of the Apostolic Vicariate of Tabuk.

Sescon is currently the rector of Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno in Manila popularly known as Quiapo Church.

For his part, Mallari had been serving as bishop of the Diocese of San Jose prior to his appointment.

With the scheduled installations of the three new bishops, there are only six vacant dioceses in the Philippines.

These are the Dioceses of Boac, Daet, Ipil, Pagadian, and San Jose, as well as the Apostolic Vicariate of Tabuk. (PNA)

📸  (From left to right) Tarlac Bishop-elect Roberto Mallari, Balanga Bishop-elect Rufino Sescon and Cabanatuan Bishop-elect Prudencio Andaya Jr. (Photos courtesy of Dioceses of Tarlac and Cabanatuan and CBCP News website)