Claretian missionary priest Elias Ayuban and Dominican nun Cecilia Espenilla were elected as new chairpersons of Conference of Major Superiors of the Philippines (CMSP), formerly known as the Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines (AMRSP).
The new chairpersons took over the posts from their predecessors, Father Cielito Almazan, OFM, and Sister Marilyn Java, RC.
Father Ayuban is provincial superior of the Claretian missionaries in the Philippines while Sister Espenila is the prioress general of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena in the country. She is also the Promoter for Justice and Peace of the congregation.
Also elected were Father Lino Gregorio Redoblado, OFM, and Sister Mary Epifania Brasil, OP, as co-vice chairpersons.
Father Redoblado is the provincial superior of the Order of Friars Minor in the Philippines while Sister Brasil is the superior general of the Dominican Sisters of Regina Rosarii.
The other members of the CMSP board are:
- Father Dante Bendoy, OSA
- Father Hector Attard, MSSP
- Father Ignacio Bercades Jr., sdP
- Father Hirohito Bolo Jr., CICM
- Brother Luc Cherest Boudreault, SC
- Father Rico Ponce, O.Carm
- Father Victorino Cueto, CSsR
- Brother Butch Alcudia, FSC
- Sister Ma. Bethanie Cervantes Sulleza, RSCJ
- Sister Erlinda Hisug, OND
- Sister Lerma Victoria Pangantihon, RA
- Sister Virgencita Alegado, RSM
- Sister Ella Erepol, MMB
- Sister Marilena Narvaez, SSS
- Mother Teodora Juan, MCST
- Sister RosaMary Plaza, MSM
Formed in 1970, the CMSP is a joint forum of the Association of Major Religious Superiors of Men in the Philippines and the Association of Major Religious Superiors of Women in the Philippines, founded in 1955 and 1957, respectively.
For many years, the association served as a common voice for men and women religious and an advocate for their individual charisms.
The CMSP is currently composed of 362 religious institutes, societies of apostolic life, secular institutes out of 453 religious and secular institutes in the Philippines.