Archbishop Julius Tonel: The Newly Elected CBCP Vice President

by Joel V. Ocampo

His Excellency, the Most Rev. Gilbert A. Garcera, D.D., currently serving as the Archbishop of Lipa and Regional Representative for Southeast Luzon in the Permanent Council of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) was elected as the new president of CBCP. In addition, His Excellency, the Most Rev. Julius S. Tonel, D.D., the Archbishop of Zamboanga, and Regional Representative for South Mindanao was elected as his vice president. The announcement was made during the 130th CBCP Plenary Assembly in the Municipality of Anda, Province of Bohol.

Archbishop Julius Tonel

Archbishop Joy, as he was fondly known, was born on August 31, 1956, in Davao City. On December 7, 1979, he received his Diaconal Ordination. Then on April 12, 1980, he received his Ordination to the Sacred Order of Presbyters and became a priest for the Archdiocese of Davao. He also obtained a Licentiate in Liturgical Theology from the Pontifical Saint Anselm Athenaeum in Rome (1986-1990).

As a priest, the then Fr. Tonel served in some the following ministries:

• Director, Family Apostolate;

• Director, Archdiocesan Liturgical Center;

• Vice Rector, Professor, and Spiritual Director, Major Regional Seminary of Davao (1992-1997);

• Rector, Major Regional Seminary of Davao (1997 onwards); and

• Vicar General, Archdiocese of Davao (2002-2007).

On June 30, 2007, Fr. Tonel was appointed Bishop of the Prelature of Ipil, province of Zamboanga Sibugay, Philippines. Then on August 20, 2007, he was ordained Bishop, with †Archbishop Fernando Robles Capalla (then Archbishop of Davao), as the Principal Consecrator, and Archbishop Romulo G. Valles (then Archbishop of Zamboanga), and Archbishop Antonio J. Ledesma, S.J. (then Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro) as Principal Co-Consecrators.

In May 2010, †Pope Benedict XVI elevated the Prelature of Ipil to the rank of diocese, with the same name and territorial configuration as before, making it a suffragan of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Zamboanga. †Pope Benedict XVI then appointed Bishop Julius S. Tonel, Prelate of Ipil, as first bishop of the new diocese. On April 25, 2023, on the Feast of Saint Mark, Evangelist, †Pope Francis appointed him as Metropolitan Archbishop of Zamboanga, Philippines, transferring him from the Diocese of Ipil.

As a bishop, he served in the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines in the following ministries:

• Member, Episcopal Commission on Youth (2007-2009);

• Member, Episcopal Commission on Liturgy (2007-2011; 2017-2021),

• Member, Episcopal Commission on Vocations (2009-2011);

• Ex Officio Member for Liturgy, Episcopal Committee on Basic Ecclesial Communities (2011-2017);

• Chairman, Episcopal Commission on Liturgy (2011-2017);

• Member, Episcopal Commission on Health Care (2015-present);

• Vice Chairman, Episcopal Commission on Liturgy (2023-present);

• Permanent Committee on Bishops’ Concerns (2023-present); and 

• Regional Representative, South Mindanao (2023-present).

Advocate of Health of Body and Spirit

As a member of the Episcopal Commission on Health Care, Abp. Joy Tonel, together with the Health Ministry of the Archdiocese of Zamboanga organized community-based activities to address the issues on tuberculosis. This approach has the following benefits:

• Increased Access – bringing TB services closer to communities, particularly in underserved areas, improves access to testing, diagnosis, and treatment; 

• Improved Treatment Outcomes – empowering patients to adhere to treatment through support and education leads to better clinical outcomes; 

• Reduced Stigma – raising awareness and promoting positive attitudes towards TB through community-based initiatives helps to reduce stigma and fear, encouraging individuals to seek help;

• Cost-Effectiveness – utilizing community resources and volunteers can be more cost-effective than solely relying on formal health facilities.

On August 29-30, 2024, with the leadership of Abp. Joy Tonel, Fr. Elmer Sumile of the Archdiocese of Zamboanga, and with all trained community-based health care volunteers under Episcopal Commission on Health Care (ECHC) and Samahan Lusog Baga Association (SLBA) Interpersonal Communication and Counseling on tuberculosis, August was celebrated as a call for healthy lungs—a time to give importance to health, reach out to all vulnerable especially the poor, and share the love of God to all peoples even with differences in creed and background. There, more than 350 participants received free X-ray and testing, with deep discussion on the medical aspect of tuberculosis, including the socio-cultural factors that affect the spread of the disease. 

Photo by The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Zamboanga

In his homily during the Chrism Mass in March 2024, Archbishop Joy Tonel said,

“We substitute when we do the sacraments equated with money. Fathers, for me, in all my priestly life, I never accepted a cent when I do the Anointing of the Sick. People who suffer simply need the grace of God. That's why we can be factors of so many of our faithful moving away from the Church. Here is the challenge for us priests: the sacrament belongs to God. It is free of charge. It is not your grace. It's His grace. The grace of God cannot be equated with money. There is no fee to the grace of God, especially those who need: the poor, the suffering, and the sick.”

In another homily on the 2024 Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) National Convention in Davao City, Archbishop Tonel preached,

“Teachers must be the number one to integrate the Gospel values, especially the Beatitudes into their teaching. Performance task starts with us. A person and a teacher, who tries to imbibe Catholic education with a heart. It’s very embarrassing when you have school Masses and Eucharistic celebrations, and teachers are not attending. The employees are left behind, and students see that. We, as pastors, are in need of your help. We are waiting. The problem might be you create your own, but never lead your students to the parish. The rubric of performance tasks is based on how teachers and students carry out their mission in a manner that evangelizes with charity and conviction… and I leave that to your reflection.”

Photo by Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP)

Archbishop Garcera, Archbishop Tonel, and other members of the Permanent Council will officially assume their posts on December 1, 2025.