World · Philippines Bureau
Pope appoints Mati bishop Abel Apigo as new Davao archbishop
Bishop Abel Apigo of Mati has been named the new archbishop of Davao by Pope Leo XIV, taking over from Archbishop Romulo Valles who has reached the mandatory retirement age for bishops.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA — The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines announced that Pope Leo XIV has appointed Bishop Abel Apigo as the new head of the Archdiocese of Davao, one of the country's most prominent Catholic jurisdictions.
Apigo succeeds Archbishop Romulo Valles, who reached the mandatory retirement age for Catholic bishops. The appointment marks a significant transition in the leadership of the Davao archdiocese, which serves a substantial portion of Mindanao's Catholic population.
Apigo was appointed as bishop of Mati in 2018 under Pope Francis. His elevation to archbishop reflects the Vatican's confidence in his pastoral leadership and administrative capabilities in overseeing one of the Philippines' largest archdioceses.
The Archdiocese of Davao encompasses the cities of Davao and portions of Davao del Norte province, making it a strategically important ecclesiastical jurisdiction in the southern Philippines. Apigo's appointment comes as the Catholic Church continues to reshape its leadership structure in the region.