The President
NDMC President
Fr. Ramon Maria Bernabe was born on January 11, 1964 and grew up in Grace Park, Caloocan City. He is the youngest of three boys, with his elder brothers being twins. One of the twins, however, died in 1996, at age 35. His father passed away in 2022, and his 91-year old mother lives at home in Grace Park.
Fr. Mon spent his elementary and high school years at Notre Dame of Greater Manila, graduating in 1981. Influenced by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate at Notre Dame of Greater Manila and the Our Lady of Grace Parish, he entered the Oblate Juniorate in Cotabato City in 1981, and the Novitiate in 1984. He professed vows as a Missionary Oblate in 1985.
He graduated from Notre Dame University in Cotabato City in 1987, with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy degree. He finished a second Bachelor’s degree, in Sacred Theology, from the Loyola School of Theology at the Ateneo de Manila University and a Master’s degree in Pastoral Ministry also from the Ateneo, in 1992.
He was ordained priest on April 25, 1992 at Our Lady of Grace Church. His first missionary assignment was as parish priest of San Isidro Parish in Upi, Maguindanao.
After a year as parish priest, he was assigned to the Oblate Juniorate in Cotabato City from 1993-1997, where he was Spiritual Director, teacher, and later on as the Director of the Juniorate. In 1997, he was sent to Notre Dame of Jolo College in Jolo, Sulu, first as a Chaplain and teacher, and then assumed as the school’s President from 1999-2001.
He then took up a course in Peace and Conflict Studies at the European Peace University in Austria from 2001-2002.
His studies were cut short as he was appointed President of Notre Dame University in Cotabato City in 2002, and served until 2005.
In 2005, he was appointed as Provincial of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate in the Philippines, a position he held for two terms up to 2011.
In 2013, he was appointed School Director of his high school alma mater, Notre Dame of Greater Manila, which was also his first assignment in the Manila district of the Oblates, after serving for about 20 years in Mindanao and Sulu since his ordination.
In 2016, he was elected to a 6-year term as Assistant General of the Oblate Congregation based in Rome, Italy. Aside from assisting the Superior General in the overall affairs of the Congregation, he was given the responsibility of coordinating the Congregation’s global initiatives in the areas of Mission; Youth; Lay Associations; Oblate Brothers; and Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation ministry.
On April 19, 2023, Fr. Mon was nominated and confirmed by the Board of Trustees as the 12th President of Notre Dame of Midsayap College, effective June 1, 2023.