USL’s new President has his modest beginnings in Barangay Poblacion, San Francisco (Anao-aon), Surigao del Norte, Philippines. He was born on November 11, 1980 to his parents, Mr. Antonio Hinay Maniwang and Mrs. Isabelita Nimez Maniwang, who raised him with a lot of love, care, and support. He grew up with his three siblings, Michelle, Anthony, and Menchu.
As a student, he finished his Elementary and Secondary years as Class Valedictorian at the Anao-aon Central Elementary School (1993) and San Nicolas High School (1997), respectively. He graduated Cum Laude with the degree Bachelor of Arts major in Philosophy at the University of Saint La Salle in Bacolod City, Philippines in 2001. He was the Lone Outstanding Awardee, both in curricular and extracurricular activities when he finished Theology at the CICM-Maryhill School of Theology in New Manila, Quezon City in 2006. He was Summa Cum Laude for his Licentiate Degree at the Accademia Alfonsiana, Rome, Italy, where he specialized in Moral Theology, specifically on Social Morality in 2008. Undoubtedly a man of academics, he received an Academic Distinction Award when he completed his Doctorate Degree at Saint Paul University Philippines in 2015 with his dissertation on Student Discipline Management System in the CICM School: A Policy Study.
Tracing how he responded to the call of the CICM mission, he went through the CICM Pre-Novitiate Formation in 1997-2001 at the CICM Maryshore Formation Center in Talisay, Bacolod City. After which, he had the Novitiate Formation Year at the CICM Novitiate Formation House in Taytay, Rizal in 2001. Later, he had his four-year Post-Novitiate Formation at the CICM-Asia International Formation Center. He was ordained as a deacon on November 28, 2009, and became a CICM Priest on April 17, 2010, at the St. Francis Xavier Parish in his hometown in San Francisco (Anao-aon), Surigao del Norte.
Armed with the CICM charism, he took on his first mission as an Assistant Parish Priest at the Holy Rosary Parish in Tala, Caloocan City, and then at the Mabuting Pastol Parish in Quezon City. Throughout these assignments, he also served as a Professor of Moral Theology at the CICM-Maryhill School of Theology.
In 2010, he packed his bags and came to the north as Chaplain of the University of Saint Louis. Here, he introduced numerous strategies to invite more people to partake in the mission of the Church through the CICM Mission Month Fund Drive and in the evangelization of people. He also championed restorative justice, especially in dealing with employee and student cases. Concurrently, he served as USL’s Head of Philosophy and Religious Instruction, and coordinated and co-wrote the CICM Religious Education Textbooks from Kinder to Grade 12 for the CICM schools.
From USL, he took on newer missionary assignments at the Saint Louis University in Baguio City, where he became Parish Priest of the Saint Aloysius Gonzaga Parish, (SLU Parish), Chaplain of the Sacred Heart Hospital, Principal of the Saint Louis University-Junior High School, and Vice President for Mission and Identity.
At present, he chairs the CICM-Provincial Committee on Education (CICM-PCE) and CICM Philippines School Network (CICM-PSN).
His youth, dynamism, and congenial personality captivatingly draw individuals to him. He is a man in high spirits, upfront in his words, forward in his actions, reflective and discerning in his decisions, farsighted but realistic in his vision, and ever true to his vocation and mission.
At the age of 42, he is at the helm of leading the University of Saint Louis as the institution’s youngest President.
We welcome the Fifth President of the University of Saint Louis, Reverend Father Macwayne Nimez Maniwang, CICM, StL. PhD.
