Around 200 priests from the 46 dioceses of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente gathered at Claret Retreat House in Quezon City from May 3-5, 2017 for the General Convention of the National Priests Organization (NPO).
The occasion marked the organization’s 14th triennial convention since its formation in 1977. Through the years, the NPO has served as an essential organization that promotes the clergy’s concern within the institutional boundaries of the Church and pro-actively gives concrete prophetic witness to the Church’s mission.
The 14th General Convention is highlighted by the election of the Revd Jonash Joyohoy as Governor General, Revd Romulo Bianco as Vice-Governor General, Revd Marciano Carabio as General Secretary, Revd Alexis del Rosario as General Treasurer, and Revd Patricks Mabalacad as General Auditor.
The new set of clergy officers will serve within the triennium 2017-2020. The NPO will review its organizational policies under the new leadership toward the direction of enhancing its structure to keep abreast with the changing times and current challenges to the Church’s mission.
The 14th General Convention also strongly expressed its commitment to support the plight of indigenous peoples and cultural minorities which suffer from state aggression and militarization as they defend their rights to self-determination.