Who is Bishop Midyphil “Dodong” Billones?

New Cebu Auxiliary Bishop Midyphil “Dodong” Billones. CDN Digital photo | Delta Letigio

CEBU CITY, Philippines–The Archdiocese of Cebu welcomed its new auxiliary bishop, Bishop Midyphil “Dodong” Billones, in a Liturgical Presentation and Welcome Mass at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral in Cebu City on Thursday morning, September 26, 2019.

The 50-year-old native of Panay, Capiz, was the rector of St. Joseph Regional Seminary in Iloilo City prior to his appointment in Cebu.

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Prior to becoming a bishop, he also served as personal secretary, first to the late Archbishop Jover Piamonte, and then to retired Archbishop Angel Lagdameo from 1997 to 2001.

In his speech during the Liturgical Presentation, he said that this was not his first time in Cebu. He first set foot in the island during his youth and that was how he found out that his nickname, “Dodong” was actually an endearment for Cebuanos to their boys.

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Bishop Dodong remembered this first experience of Cebu when he was assigned to the Archdiocese in July 2019 by Pope Francis. He said it did not feel like being reassigned, it felt like coming home.

“Wala man gibalhin si Dodong gikan Iloilo sa Cebu. Niuli si Dodong sa Cebu,” he said in his speech.

(Dodong didn’t transfer from Iloilo to Cebu. Dodong came home to Cebu.)

Bishop Dodong said his main purpose in the Archdiocese of Cebu is to help Archbishop Jose Palma lead the “flock” of faithful and serve the Church and its people.

The prelate said he would also study the ways to lead the flock as auxiliary bishops are supposed to learn from the archbishops on how to lead dioceses.

Two of the auxiliary bishops of Cebu, Bishop Dennis Villarojo and Oscar Florencio, were recently given their own Dioceses after a few years of service. Villarojo is now the Bishop of Malolos, while Florencio is the Bishop of Philippine Military.

Bishop Dodong will also be expected to lead his own diocese someday, and he will have to learn the ropes through the guidance of Archbishop Palma.

“I’m here to learn first from the Archbishop. I will listen to the plans of our beloved Archbishop, and also the movements of the laity and the clergy, the needs of the people, especially the poor and those in the periphery. We want to respond to that,” he said.

The new auxiliary bishop said his main goal will be to listen to the faithful and bring the Church closer to the people. /bmjo