646 Buzon appointed bishop
NEW BISHOP OF KABANGKALAN (PHILIPPINES)
 
ROME: 29th Dec: Pope John Paul II has nominated Fr. Pat Buzon, presently Provincial of the South Philippines Province as Bishop of Kabangkalam.  Patrick Abella Buzon was born 14th March 1950 in San Nicolas, Cebu City.  After his Primary and Secondary schooling he obtained a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Education from Don Bosco College, then began studies for Philosophy and Theology at the Don Bosco Center of Studies, Paranaque.
 
Patrick Buzon made his First Profession on 29th June 1967 and was ordained priest 8th December 1976.  Since then he has held a number of positions of responsibility - Catechist at the Don Bosco Mission Seminary, Lawa-an, Cebu after which he became the Rector there.  He then was appointed Rector of Don Bosco Boys Town, Cebu City.  Following this he was appointed Vice Provincial of the South Philippines Province during which time he was Rector of the Provincial House and for a time again, of Boys Town.  In 1998 he was appointed Provincial.
 
Bishop-elect Buzon is the third Filippino Salesian to be appointed Bishop.  His Diocese of Kabangkalan is one of three dioceses in the Province of Negros Occidental.  The first Salesians from China established the first Salesian school in this region in 1952.