June 28, 2019, 1:00 p.m. — FRENCH Dominican Fr. Bruno Cadore, O.P., worldwide head of the Order of Preachers, will inaugurate the expanded UST Hospital during his visit to the University on July 4, the Varsitarian has learned.
Cadore’s socius for Asia-Pacific, Fr. Gerard Francisco Timoner III, O.P., said Cadore, a physician himself, will bless the USTH Extension, “[an event that] will not happen again for years to come.”
A memorandum from the office of the UST Secretary General confirmed that Cadore would visit the University on July 4, and a testimonial dinner would be held in his honor at the Buenaventura Garcia Paredes, O.P. Building.
The visit of the Master of the Order of Preachers, Cadore’s official title, marks the closure of the 2007 UST Hospital controversy over the scuttled construction of a 19-story hospital tower that would have required the University’s medical institution to go into more profitable businesses and take a P3-billion bank loan.
Cadore’s predecessor, Fr. Carlos Azpiroz Acosta, O.P. ordered a leadership shakeup which saw the resignations of the prior provincial of the Filipino Dominicans Fr. Edmund Nantes, O.P., UST rector Fr. Ernesto Arceo, O.P. and vice rector Juan Ponce, O.P. Dr. Cenon Alfonso, former USTH president and chief executive officer, also resigned from his post following the dispute.
USTH officials have yet to comment on the cost of the construction of the new hospital extension.
Apart from his visit to the University, Cadore will also convoke the Provincial Chapter of Filipino Dominicans.
He will later head to Bien Hoa in Vietnam for the General Chapter of the Order of Preachers from July 7 to Aug. 4 at the St. Joseph Seminary in Xuan Loc.
The General Chapter is the highest-decision making body of Dominicans, attended by provincials and other representatives of Dominican convents and ministries around the world. Charm Ryanne C. Magpali and Angelika V. Ortega, with reports from Eugene Dominic V. Aboy, O.P.
