Indian priest Fr. Victor Vijay Lobo was elected president of SIGNIS Asia for the 2026–2030 term on October 26, while three associates of Radio Veritas Asia (RVA) were elected to leadership positions in the regional Catholic communication network.
The elections were held in a hybrid format at the Archdiocesan Pastoral Centre in Saigon, Vietnam, with representatives from 12 of SIGNIS Asia’s 14 member countries participating.
The newly elected board comprises Fr. Lobo of India as president; Pie Mabanta-Fenomeno of the Philippines as vice president; Kagnha Keo, a staff member of RVA’s Khmer Service in Cambodia, as secretary; Paul Namgoong Chan of South Korea as treasurer; and Cuc Daisy Pham of Vietnam and Fr. Nikhil Gomes, coordinator of RVA’s Bengali Service in Bangladesh, as board members. Fr. Qaisar Feroz, OFM Cap, coordinator of RVA’s Urdu Service in Pakistan, was elected as stand-in delegate.
The elections were conducted by a three-member committee comprising Bernard of the Philippines, Widi of Indonesia and Adeline of Malaysia.
Following his election, Fr. Lobo outlined his vision for strengthening cooperation among Catholic communicators across Asia, focusing on peacebuilding, digital formation and inclusive leadership.
He identified three priorities for his term: promoting the exchange of experiences, resources and expertise among member countries; equipping young people and media professionals to use emerging technologies creatively and responsibly in the light of Gospel values; and expanding opportunities for lay professionals, women and young communicators to participate in decision-making.
“I do not claim to have all the answers, nor can one person do everything alone. But I bring my experience, a willingness to listen, and a genuine desire to work with all of you,” he said. He also expressed gratitude to the outgoing board and called on members to support the association’s mission.
SIGNIS Asia is the regional network of SIGNIS, the World Catholic Association for Communication, bringing together Catholic communicators from across South, East and Southeast Asia.
The election of three RVA associates to the board and its wider leadership reflects the involvement of the Asia-based Catholic broadcaster in regional communication networks. The new leadership is expected to strengthen collaboration among Catholic media professionals and advance a culture of peace through communication across the region.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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