Most Rev. Arturo M. Bastes, SVD, bishop emeritus of Sorsogon, died at 80 on Sunday, 20 October, at 6:30 a.m. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) confirmed his death in a Facebook post, noting that further details would be announced.
Born on 1 April 1944, in Loboc, Bohol, Bastes was ordained a priest of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) on 28 Nov. 1970. He began his episcopal ministry as the bishop of Romblon in 1997, following his appointment by Pope John Paul II.
In 2003, he became the bishop of Sorsogon, a role he held until his retirement in 2019. Under his leadership, the diocese served more than 770,600 Catholics.
Bastes was known for his outspoken stance on various socio-political issues, especially during the administrations of Presidents Benigno Aquino III and Rodrigo Duterte.
He opposed the reproductive health law proposed during the Aquino administration, urging Catholics to resist what he saw as immoral legislation.
During the Duterte presidency, Bastes supported the complaint filed against Duterte at the International Criminal Court in 2017, saying it would shed light on the drug-related killings in the country.
He also condemned Duterte’s threats to abolish the Commission on Human Rights, calling such actions irrational.
Bastes chaired a fact-finding body that investigated controversial mining operations in the Bicol region, advocating for the cancellation of permits for environmentally harmful practices.
In 2016, he launched a campaign to allocate 20 percent of government resources to an anti-poverty fund called the Serendipity Fund. Additionally, he served as chairman and president of the Philippine Bible Society in 2008.
Bastes leaves behind a legacy of advocacy for social justice and environmental protection, reflecting his deep commitment to faith and the communities he served.