Fr. Ruel F. Lero, SVD

Fr. Ruel F. Lero, SVD President, Holy Name University

Personal Background

Fr. Ruel F. Lero, SVD, President of Holy Name University (HNU) and religious missionary of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), rejoins the USC Board of Trustees on December 1, 2023.

Following his communication degree from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), Fr. Lero studied philosophy at Christ the King Mission Seminary (Quezon City) before completing his theological training (magna cum laude) at the Divine Word School of Theology (DWST) in Tagaytay. Further studies in Tagaytay led to a Master of Arts in Theology (summa cum laude) followed by a Bachelor in Sacred Theology (magna cum laude) from the Pontifica Universita Urbaniana. He returned to UPLB to complete a Doctor of Philosophy major in Extension Education, minor in Development Communication, which earned him Academic Achievement and Best Dissertation awards.

Fr. Lero has held numerous teaching and administrative positions including Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (2009–2011), Coordinator for Graduate Studies (2012–2015), Director for the Center for Research and Publication (2013–2015) and the Center for Local Governance (2013–2015), and Vice President for Academic Affairs (2011–2018) at HNU in Tagbilaran City. He also served as a faculty member of the Graduate School of the University of Santo Tomas. Prior to his election as President of HNU, he was a faculty member and Director of the Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry program of the DWST, Divine Word Seminary, Tagaytay City (2018–2020).

Fr. Lero is also a Trustee of Liceo del Verbo Divino and Holy Name University Medical Center.