MANILA (UCAN): The Brothers of Christian Schools—the De La Salle Brothers—elected 60-year-old Brother Armin Luistro, former education secretary under late Philippine president, Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino, as their new superior general.
Brother Luistro was elected the 28th successor to St. John Baptist La Salle, the patron saint of the congregation, on May 18 in Rome. He is presently the president of all De La Salle Schools in the Philippines but will have to move to Rome to take up his new role.
The election comes eight years after the previous leaders were elected in 2014, also in Rome. The congregation’s rules mandate an election every seven years but the current one was delayed by one year because of the Covid-19 pandemic, said a note on the congregation’s website.
The De La Salle Brothers in the Philippines said they were surprised that the international council chose a Filipino to head the congregation, which first arrived in the country in 1911.
“Our profound prayers of thanksgiving are with you, our dear brother, as you continue to respond to God’s call to be of service to all Lasallians as our Superior General,” the brothers said in a congratulatory Facebook post.
Brother Luistro is known for his socio-political activities and was one of the signatories of a petition that questioned the constitutionality of a controversial anti-terrorism law in 2020.
He also served as a convenor of 1Sambayan, an opposition coalition group that endorsed the candidacy of defeated vice president, Leonor “Leni” Robredo, in the recent presidential elections.
He campaigned for Robredo urging voters to oppose alleged attempts by supporters of now president-elect, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., to rewrite history by claiming the repressive martial law years during the rule of Ferdinand Marcos Sr. was a “golden period.”
During his stint as education secretary, Luistro implemented a programme that added two years to the country’s basic educational system—a reform that made Philippine schools more competitive with foreign academic institutions.
As we celebrate the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines. The Chaplaincy to Filipino Migrants organises an on-line talk every Tuesday at 9.00pm. You can join us at:
https://www.Facebook.com/CFM-Gifted-to-give-101039001847033
He joined the De La Salle Brothers in 1979, and started his education career in 1983 as a religion teacher which he claimed opened his eyes to social injustices in the Philippines.
