Salesians announce new superior for Philippine North Province

December 22, 2024 - 12:41 PM
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Fr. Ronilo Javines, the new provincial superior of the Salesians of Don Bosco – Philippines North Province. (Fr. Javines via Facebook)

The Salesian congregation has appointed Fr. Ronilo Javines as the new superior of its Philippine North Province.

Fr. Javines will succeed Fr. Gerry Martin, who has led the province—also known as Filippine Ispetoria Nord (FIN) in Italian—since 2019.

Ordained a Salesian priest in 1995, Fr. Javines is currently the rector of Don Bosco Mandaluyong and serves as the coordinator for Salesian Higher Education Institutions (IUS) in East Asia and Oceania.

He also heads the congregation’s Commission on Social Concerns.

Fr. Javines will begin his six-year term in 2025, serving through 2031.

The Salesians of Don Bosco, a religious community founded by St. John Bosco in 1859 in Turin, Italy, is dedicated to serving young people, especially those who are poor and disadvantaged.

The Salesians have been in the Philippines since 1951. Over the years, their activities have expanded nationwide, leading to the division of the original Philippine Province into two—the Philippine North (Luzon) and Philippine South (Visayas and Mindanao) provinces—in 1992.

Each province operates autonomously but maintains close coordination with the other.

The South Province, also known as Filippine Ispetoria Sud (FIS), is currently led by Fr. Fidel Ma. Daza Orendain as its provincial superior.