Ruperto Santos

Santos was ordained priest on September 10, 1983, at the Manila Cathedral by Jaime Sin where he served as priest of the Archdiocese of Manila from September 1983 until he became Bishop of Balanga[4] in Bataan on July 8, 2010, where he succeeded Socrates Villegas as the latter became archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan in Pangasinan on November 4, 2009.

After several years in the ministry serving the archdiocese, he was sent to Rome for further studies and took up his licentiate in church history in Pontificia Universita Gregoriana. He has been Academic Dean of San Carlos Graduate School of Theology. He also became Rector of Pontificio Collegio Filippino in Rome.

In 2000, he became rector of Pontificio Collegio Filippino in Rome, Italy, a position he held in addition to being a priest of the Archdiocese of Manila. He also served that position until he became bishop of Balanga on July 2010.

In 2003, he became the National Coordinator of the Italian Bishop's Conference for Pastoral Care of Filipino Migrants in Italy.

In 2005, he became a member of Pontificio Comitato per i Congressi Eucaristici Internazionali in the Vatican. He has also written a number of books regarding historical interest published by the Archdiocese of Manila and regarding homilies, prayers, and spirituality published by St. Paul's (SSP).

Pope Benedict XVI named Santos as fourth bishop of Balanga on April 1, 2010, to succeed Socrates Villegas. He was ordained as bishop and consecrated by Cardinal Gaudencio Borbon Rosales, the then Archbishop of Manila, on June 24, 2010, and became bishop of Balanga upon his installation on July 8, 2010.[3]

Since he became bishop of Balanga in July 2010, five parishes, three diocesan shrines, and one minor basilica, national shrine and chapel were created during his term as bishop of the diocese, with Residencia Sacerdotal, Retirement Home for Priests (Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel) in Taglesville, Balanga was built months after he became bishop of Balanga.

During his term as bishop of Balanga, Santos has made two quinquennial visit ad limina in Rome on December 2, 2010 (five months after he became the diocese's bishop) and May 20, 2019, and held various positions at Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) since December 1, 2011.

Changes to the Balanga Cathedral were made during under Santos' term which are the improvement of its patio and numerous vendors were discouraged within the cathedral's premises. Walls and fences outside the cathedral were changed in 2011. Pavement of the ground on the exterior was made from 2017 to 2018, and the belfry added the bricks in 2019.[5] In 2020, the cathedral's roof were painted from green and white to red.

He founded a foundation named Ad Seminandum RCS 10 Foundation, Inc., with the name being a reference to his motto as the diocese's bishop (Ad Seminandum), initials (RCS), and 10 being the month number of his birthday (October which is the 10th month of the year) and part of a number of a year when he became Bishop of Balanga (2010).

From June 5, 2020 to June 5, 2023, he served as acting parish priest of the diocesan shrine and parish of St. Nicholas Tolentino (Mariveles, Bataan) in a concurrent capacity. During his term as acting parish priest of the parish church, he had five assistant priests or parochial vicars which are Rev. Fr. Robert Laracas, OSJ, Rev. Fr. Ponciano G. Balmes, OSJ, Rev. Fr. Marvin Gomez, OSJ, Rev. Fr. Gerald Cuenca, OSJ, and Rev. Fr. Christopher Alday, OSJ, with other priests also celebrated in the parish church in accordance with the parish priest or his decision, such as Rev. Fr. Jay Quicho.[6]

He continued written a number of books regarding homilies, prayers, and spirituality published by St. Paul's (SSP). In addition to spiritual books, he also wrote about the Diocese of Balanga and its churches, and Bataan province where the diocese has jurisdiction with.

Like with his predecessor Socrates Villegas, he expressed opposition on the revival of Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) as it will put the lives on the brink of danger and shadow of impending death, result in the disruption of ecosystem, cause the soil to be poisoned and no longer viable to be cultivated, and livelihood will be destroyed.[7]

Following the denial of the broadcast franchise application of ABS-CBN, Santos expressed that the network's shutdown is a great loss, an added suffering for Filipinos, and never bring healing. He sympathized to the network’s more than 11,000 employees who risk losing their jobs.[8]