Bishop Abet Uy of the Diocese of Tagbilaran lobbied for the request to transport Pueblos’ body to Bohol after the initial decision was to bring his remains straight to Butuan City from Manila, where he died last Saturday.

The Boholano clergy and the lay took turns for a prayer vigil, aside from the masses officiated at the Cathedral yesterday afternoon.     

A farewell mass will be officiated at 5 this afternoon with Bishop Uy as the main celebrant. His remains will be brought to Jagna Port in time for the midnight trip of Cokaliong to Cagayan de Oro City,

Known to many as “Bishop Didi,” the 74-year old church leader was an educator and formator having served as rector of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Taloto, this city as well as in other Catholic schools in the province.

His remains will also be brought to Agusan del Sur upon request of LGU and church officials  as the province formed part of the Diocese. 

Pueblos served as auxiliary bishop of Davao in 1985 and Bishop of Kidapawan in 1987 before his appointment as bishop of Butuan in 1995.

The Diocese of Butuan touted as one of the biggest diocese in Mindanao covered areas of three cities in Caraga; namely Butuan, capital of Caraga Region, Cabadbaran in Agusan del Norte, Bayugan in Agusan del Sur with the two provinces Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur covering 31 municipalities. 

His interment is scheduled on Nov. 7 at the St. Joseph Cathedral in Butuan City where he served for 22 years.

MINISTRY

Pueblos started his ministry when he was ordained in 1968. From then until year 1970, he served as an assistant parish priest in Tagbilaran, Dipolog and Carmen, Bohol. Pueblos became a professor at the Divine Word College (now Holy Name University), this city in 1968-1971.  

Rev. Pueblos also served as school principal in St. Anthony Academy in Carmen, Bohol in 1970. In 1971-1973, he became the parish priest in Auxilium Christianorum Parish. In 1973-1974, he was the spiritual director at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary (College). He continue to serve as parish priest at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in 1973-1978 and eventually became Rector in Taloto, Tagbilaran City in 1974-1978. Pueblos also became the parish priest in Mt. Carmel Parish in Balilihan and served as the school director of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Academy in the same municipality from 1978-1984.    

Pueblos widened his ministry in 1984, when he was the school chaplain at Assumption College in Makati, Metro Manila. In 2003-2009, he became the Vice-Chairman of the CBCP Permanent Committee on Public Affairs and was a member of the CBCP Permanent Committee on Public Affairs from 2009-2011. He was also an active member of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Family Life (ECFL) from 2003-2013. In 2011-2013, Pueblos became the Vice-Chairman of the CBCP Permanent Committee on Public Affairs (PCPA). He was also a member of the Committee for the Cultural Heritage in 2013-2015.

 EDUCATION

He spent his elementary years in Loon Central Elementary School. After finishing his primary education, Pueblos studied in Sacred Heart Academy in high school (1947-1953). He then took up Philosophy at Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Loon, Bohol (1953-1958). Pueblos pursued his Theology at San Carlos Major Seminary in Tagbilaran City (1958-1960). He also studied in Mabolo, Cebu City and spent his BSE studies (1960-1968), then took his MA at Divine Word College in Tagbilaran City from 1969-1971.