ILOILO City – In his official installation as the 7th Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Jaro on Wednesday morning, April 2, Most Rev. Midyphil Billones, D.D., made a special request to all the faithful.
He asked them to include in their prayers the people in the Negros Island Region (NIR) suffering from the ongoing unrest of Mount Kanlaon.
Billones was formally installed during a Solemn Pontifical Mass with the Rite of Canonical Possession and Installation at the Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology recorded “weak ash emissions” from Mount Kanlaon on April 1 and 2, heightening concerns over the ongoing volcanic activity on Negros Island.
Before Billones officiated the mass, Most Reverend Jose Romeo O. Lazo, D.D., Archbishop Emeritus of Jaro, delivered a brief message of gratitude to Pope Francis for sending Billones as the new shepherd for the Archdiocese of Jaro.
“I would like to thank Pope Francis through the Papal Nuncio to the Philippines, Archbishop Charles John Brown, for sending a new shepherd to the local church of Jaro through Archbishop Billones. Beloved people of God, here is a new, good shepherd for our local church in Jaro. Thank you very much, and I pray that you continue to pray for and love your new good shepherd,” Archbishop Lazo said.
Following Lazo’s message, he led the clergy representatives in offering homage and respect to the new archbishop.
Kanlaon has been exhibiting continuous seismic activity since June 2024, and while the volcano remained under Alert Level 2 until December 2025, the upgrade to Level 3 marks a shift towards magmatic unrest.
Phivolcs has confirmed that a magmatic eruption has commenced, which could lead to more explosive eruptions in the short term.
‘Rejoice’
In his homily, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma shared paternal wisdom and prayers as Archbishop Billones began his pastoral ministry. He also expressed gratitude to Archbishop Lazo for his service and pastoral zeal during his seven years of leadership in Jaro.
“We rejoice because, once again, the Lord has shown us His mercy by gifting us a new archbishop,” Archbishop Palma said in his homily.
“As you begin your ministry here at the Local Church of Jaro, I pray that, like Peter, your ministry will reveal the Lordship of the Risen Christ, and this becomes possible when you, as the Lord’s servant, watch over the flock, not out of compulsion, but willingly. Not out of greed, but with eagerness; and not lording over them, but being an example to them,” he added.
Shepherd of Jaro
In his message following the mass, Papal Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Charles John Brown expressed his joy and excitement for the occasion.
“Today is a day of great joy, a day of great happiness for all of us and especially for him as the representative of Pope Francis here in the Philippines,” Archbishop Brown said.
Brown highlighted that Billones is the 14th shepherd of Jaro, noting that the Diocese of Jaro was founded in 1965 and elevated to an archdiocese in the 1950s, making Billones the 7th archbishop.
April 2, Brown noted, was significant not only for Billones’ installation but also for the feast day of Saint Pedro Calungsod, a Filipino martyr from the Visayas. While the feast day is typically observed on April 2, it is sometimes moved to October 21 due to its overlap with Holy Week.
Brown urged the faithful to cherish, respect, pray for, and love their new archbishop.
“He is God’s gift to you as your ‘episkopos,’ the one who watches over,” he said.
Brown also took the opportunity to thank Archbishop Lazo, who celebrated 50 years as a priest on April 1, for his service to the church and the Archdiocese of Jaro.
Gratitude
In his thanksgiving speech, Archbishop Billones expressed deep gratitude to Pope Francis for appointing him as the new Archbishop of Jaro. He also thanked the clergy and the devotees from Cebu for their warmth and support during his time there.
“I wish to convey my deep gratitude to Archbishop Palma who mentored and guided me in my ministry. His paternal love, like Saint Joseph, is a great blessing,” Archbishop Billones said.
He also extended thanks to Archbishop Lazo for his mentorship and service to the Archdiocese of Jaro.
“His work and vision for Jaro have been relentlessly filled with faithful love. This installation is a beautiful culmination of your years of priestly ministry, and I hope that, though imperfectly, I can extend the legacy of your humble sandals and blooming staff that walks alongside the people,” Billones added.
Billones also expressed his appreciation for the elected officials who attended the installation rites, including Iloilo City’s Mayor Jerry Treñas and Cong. Julienne Baronda, Iloilo’s Gov. Arthur Defeensor Jr., and former Iloilo City mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog.
“Working side by side with you is a testament to when the church and the government work together, the people are best served,” said Billones./PN