MANILA, Philippines - Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Quevedo is set to become the country’s eighth cardinal today.
Quevedo, along with 18 other prelates from around the world, will be officially appointed as cardinal during a consistory at the Vatican.
This would bring the number of members of the College of Cardinals to 122.
Quevedo, 74, the first Filipino cardinal from Mindanao, will receive a red hat and ring as symbols of his membership in the sacred body.
In an earlier interview, Quevedo said he hopes he can contribute to the betterment of the people in Mindanao and to the peace initiatives being undertaken by various faiths.
Three of the seven other Filipino cardinals are still living: Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, retired Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales and retired Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal.
The four deceased prelates were Jose Cardinal Sanchez, former prefect of the congregation for the clergy; Jaime Cardinal Sin, former Manila archbishop; Julio Cardinal Rosales, former Cebu archbishop; and Rufino Cardinal Santos, former Manila archbishop.
Quevedo was born on March 11, 1939 in Laoag, Ilocos Norte. He studied at San Jose Seminary in Quezon City, took up his MA in Religious Education at the Catholic University of America in Washington and his post-graduate studies in Educational Management at the University of Santo Tomas (UST). He also studied Theology of Religious Life at St. Louis University in Missouri.
In 1973, Quevedo was chosen as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines (TOYM).
From 1973-1977, he set up the Colleges of Nursing, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Socio-Economic Research Center at Notre Dame University.
Meanwhile, from 1980 to 1986, he promoted justice and peace issues and grassroots empowerment at the Diocese of Kidapawan.
Quevedo also served as president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines from 1999 to 2003.