Bishop Ruperto Cruz Santos

Bishop Ruperto Cruz Santos was born on 30 October 1957 in San Rafael, Bulacan, in the diocese of Malolos. He attended courses in philosophy and theology at the San Carlos Seminary, and was ordained a priest on 10 September 1983 for the archdiocese of Manila. After ordination, he first served as deputy parish priest of the Immaculate Conception in Metro Manila, chaplain of the Pasig Catholic College in Metro Manila (1983-1986), and parish priest in Maybugna (1986). He was awarded a licentiate in history from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome (1987-1990), and went on to hold the offices of professor of Church history at the San Carlos Seminary of Manila (1990-1995), and superior and subsequently rector of the Pontifical Filipino College in Rome. He was appointed bishop of Balanga on 1 April 2010, and received episcopal consecration the following 24 June. Within the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, he is regional representative in the Permanent Council, chairman of the Commission for the Pontifical Filipino College, and vice-chairman of the Commission for the pastoral care of migrants and itinerant people.