MANILA, Philippines — Zamboanga Archbishop Romulo Valles has been named as the new head of the Archdiocese of Davao.

Pope Benedict XVI’s appointment of Valles was announced in the Vatican Saturday, according to an article posted on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) website.

The 60-year-old prelate will take over the Davao archdiocese from Archbishop Fernando Capalla, 77, whose resignation was accepted by the Pontiff.

For five years, Valles served the Zamboanga archdiocese which covers the Prelature of Ipil and Isabela, Basilan and the Apostolic Vicariate of Jolo as its suffragans dioceses.

Born on July 10, 1951 in Bohol province’s Maribojoc town, Valles was ordained a priest on April 6, 1976.

On June 24, 1997, he was appointed fourth bishop of Kidapawan by Blessed Pope John Paul II. His episcopal ordination was on Aug. 6, 1997.

It was on November 13, 2006 when Pope Benedict XVI appointed him the fifth archbishop of Zamboanga and was installed on Jan. 9, 2007.

No date has been set for the canonical installation of the new Davao archbishop. Until that time, the Vatican said Capalla would be the temporary administrator of the Davao archdiocese.