Roman Catholic Diocese of Balanga

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Balanga (Latin: Dioecesis Balangensis) is a Roman Catholic diocese having jurisdiction in the province of Bataan, Philippines. It was established on March 17, 1975, canonically erected on November 8, 1975 which separated Bataan from the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of San Fernando in Pampanga, and part of the Ecclesiastical Province of San Fernando, Pampanga. The diocese's seat and bishop's office is Balanga Cathedral and residence is at 57 Paterno St., Balanga City, Bataan.

Its current bishop is Rufino Sescon, Jr., who is the diocese's fifth bishop since March 1, 2025.

Bishops of Balanga (official and temporary)
  Portrait Name(Birth–Death) Position Tenureor Term Sede Vacante Administrator before installation into office(non-apostolic or diocesan administrator) Coat of arms Notes 1 100px Celso Nogoy Guevarra1923–2002(Lived: 79 years) November 8, 1975–June 18, 1998(8,258 days)  100px Longest-serving Bishop of Balanga 2 100px Honesto Flores Ongtioco1948– June 18, 1998–August 28, 2003(1,827 days)  100px Shortest-serving Bishop of Balanga 3 100px Socrates Buenaventura Villegas1960– May 3, 2004–November 4, 2009(2,011 days)Installed into office: July 3, 2004 Antonio "Tony" S. Dumaual(1942–2023) (Lived: 81 years) (Died: July 21, 2023) (Funeral: July 31, 2023) (August 28, 2003–July 3, 2004 (310 days)) 100px First Bishop of Balanga from the Archdiocese of Manila and outside Ecclessiastical Province of San Fernando, Pampanga, the youngest bishop to take the position and office, and the first to took the position and office separately 4 100px Ruperto Cruz Santos1957– April 1, 2010–July 22, 2023(4,860 days)Installed into office: July 8, 2010 Victor dela Cruz Ocampo(1952–2023) (Lived: 71 years) (Died: March 16, 2023) (Funeral: March 27, 2023) (November 5, 2009–July 8, 2010 (245 days)) 100px Longest serving living Bishop of Balanga since October 2015, and served on all years of Catholic Church's involvement on the appointing pope Benedict XVI both as pope and pope-emeritus (April 1, 2010–January 5, 2023) and the deaths of two and one funeral of sede vacante diocesan administrators on Santos' final year as Bishop of Balanga (March 16–27 (Victor dela Cruz Ocampo); July 21–22, 2023 (Antonio "Tony" S. Dumaual))  100px Florentino Galang Lavarias1957– July 22, 2023–March 1, 2025(588 days)  100px Archbishop of San Fernando, Pampanga since October 27, 2014 and served the laying in state and funeral of one diocesan administrator (July 22–31, 2023 (Antonio "Tony" S. Dumaual)) 5 100px Rufino Coronel Sescon, Jr.1972– March 1, 2025–present  100px

References

Category:Roman Catholic dioceses
Category:1975 establishments