Cebu Archbishop Palma discharged from hospital

CEBU CITY – Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma was discharged from the hospital and was cleared of any illness on Saturday, Jan. 16.

According to Msgr. Joseph Tan, spokesperson of the Archdiocese of Cebu, the 70-year-old prelate went home to the Archbishop’s Residence around noon.

“He’s okay now. The bottom line was he just needed to rest after a hectic schedule during the Christmas season,” he said.

Palma was taken to the Perpetual Succour Hospital on Thursday afternoon after showing COVID-19 symptoms, mainly cough and cold.

Asked if the archbishop was swabbed, Tan replied: “Everything was taken into consideration and he was ruled out of any illness.”

Tan said Palma was expected to preside over the 6 a.m. Fiesta Mass in honor of the Holy Child Jesus at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño on Sunday, January 17.

“There wouldn’t be many concelebrants during the Mass to make sure they follow the distancing rules,” he said.

Public or in-person Masses at the basilica had been canceled since Jan. 12 to avoid the spread of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Palma, a native of Dingle town in Iloilo, was installed as Archbishop of Cebu on January 13, 2011.

He also served as president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines from 2011 to 2013.

/MUF