GMA to grace Cagayan bishop's 70th birthday

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines – Cagayan Valley’s most outspoken, and undoubtedly, the region’s most influential and outspoken Catholic cleric marks his 70th birthday tomorrow with the usual fanfare befitting a Presidential visit.

President Arroyo will once again set foot on this landlocked province to grace the birthday of Bayombong Bishop Ramon Villena, one of her known closest allies from the influential Catholic Church.

Purita Licas, Philippine Information Agency regional director, said that its all set for the President’s arrival here tomorrow, particularly this capital, town, the seat of the Ba­yombong diocese, where Villena, whose ecclesiastical jurisdiction also includes Quirino province, will be celebrating his birthday.

All Catholic schools here are expected to suspend classes during the day in observance of the bishop’s birthday and to welcome the President, who is expected to arrive at the Clergy House here where Villena and other Church officials await her at lunchtime tomorrow.

“The President will be (here) on Monday for the bishop’s birthday. There would be a closed-door meeting between them (and with other Church officials in the region) before proceeding to Barangay Bitnong (Dupax del Norte town here) for a road project,” Licas said.   

Since becoming a senator, it has been Mrs. Arroyo’s yearly tradition to attend the birthday of Villena, the first, and so far the only cleric appointed by her as the head of the Regional Development Council.

A former co-chairman of the Bishops-Businessmen Conference, Villena is known as one of the President’s defenders in the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines every time the influential group calls for a common stand on issues confronting her.

From Baguio City, where she will be gracing the graduation rites of Class 2009 of the Philippine Military Academy earlier in the day, Mrs. Arroyo will also drop by in Pangasinan before proceeding here where she is expected to land at 12:30 p.m. tomorrow.