Pope Francis has appointed Society of Divine Word (SVD) Father Pablito Tagura as the new Apostolic Vicariate of the Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose in Occidental Mindoro province.

Tagura, until now the Rector and Dean of Studies at Christ the King Mission Seminary in Quezon City, succeeded the late Bishop Antonio Palang who resigned in March 2018.

For around four years, the apostolic vicariate has been under the care of Bishop David William Antonio of the Ilagan diocese as apostolic administrator.

The 60-year-old’s appointment was made public Rome at 12 noon (7pm in the Philippines) on Saturday, Dec. 17.

Born in the village of Abra province’s Lagangilang town in 1962, the bishop-elect took his Philosophy and Theology studies at the Divine Word Seminary in Tagaytay City.

He professed final vows on May 31, 1988 and was ordained priest on December 17, 1988 in Bangued.

In 1997, he obtained his Doctorate in Philosophy at the Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the US.

He is also currently a member of the Provincial Council of the Society of the Divine Word.