Pope names new Bishop of Tagum

Bishop-elect Medel Aseo

The Pope has named the new Bishop of Tagum among their clergy.

Fr. Medel Aseo, 63, was named as the new successor of Bp. Wilfredo Manlapaz during the latter’s 77th birthday celebration, April 7, at the Tagum Clergy House.

Fr. Aseo has been working as missionary at St. Mary Parish in the Diocese of Greensburg in Pennsylvania since 2017 and was not around during the announcement made by Bp. Manlapaz.

The new bishop-elect will be back to Tagum for his ordination and installation whose date is yet to be announced.

A native of Maniki in Kapalong, Davao del Norte, the new bishop-elect finished his academic formation at St. Francis Xavier College Seminary and theological formation at the St. Francis Xavier Regional Major Seminary, both in Davao City.

He was ordained to the priesthood on April 7, 1979 and was assigned at Sto. Niño Parish in Panabo City then was also assigned in Manay, Davao Oriental until 1983. He was appointed vice-rector and prosecutor of Queen of the Apostles College Seminary in Tagum City until 1985. He then transferred to Maragusan to be their parish priest between 1986-1988.

He had a break from handling the parish when he took further studies at the Loyola School of Theology at the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City from 1988-1991, then he became Director of the Family and Life Apostolate, Vicar dispensations and member of the college of counselling from 1991-1996. He then returned to Loyola School of Theology to continue his studies up to 1999.

He also studied at Maryknoll School of Davao from 1999-2003, chaplain for Filipino sailors at the Archdiocese of Liverpool, Great Britain from 2003 to 2006, then became parish priest of Sta. Teresa Parish in Nabunturan, ComVal from 2006-2007, and served as member of the Center for Priests in Tagaytay City from 2008-2015. His last assignment before he left for Pennsylvania was as deputy administrator of San Miguel Archangel in Tagum City in 2016.

Bishop-elect Aseo will serve as the fourth bishop of Tagum next to Bp. Manlapaz who reached the mandatory age of retirement of 75 in 2016 and after serving the Diocese of Tagum for 32 years. Bp. Manlapaz will serve as apostolic administrator until the apostolic succession of the new bishop.

Past bishops of Tagum include Bp. Joseph William Reagan and Bp. Pedro Dean.