Bishop Manolo A. de los Santos, DD was born on Aug 5, 1947, in Basud, Camarines Norte. He was ordained a priest on May 7, 1974, and was appointed Bishop of Virac on Aug 12, 1994. His episcopal ordination was on Sept 12, 1994. His episcopal installation took place on Oct 10, 1994.

Before he became bishop of Virac he served as Officialis - Defender and Judge of the Ecclesiastical Court of Caceres and was a member of the Presbyteral Council of the archdiocese as well as a member of the Board of Consultors there. Last, he held the office of Director of Family Life Apostolate, Archdiocese of Caceres.
Bishop Manolo holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Holy Rosary Major Seminary, Naga City, a Licentiate in Sacred Theology from the University of Santo Tomas, Manila, and a Licentiate in Canon Law from the Pontificial University of Santo Tomas (Angelicum), Rome.

The bishop is a member of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Permanent Council, of the CBCP Commission on Youth and Defender of the Bond, National Appellate Matrimonial Tribunal.

RED, BLUE and GOLD. Three colors dominate the bishop-elect’s field: red, blue and gold. Red signifies love and courage; blue signifies peace and hope; and gold signifies the preciousness of events in his life. These colors paint the personality of the bishop-elect.

CROSS OF ST. DOMINIC. The bishop-elect was called to the episcopal life on 8 August 1994, feast of St. Dominic Guzman and, having studied under the Dominican Fathers in the University of Sto. Tomas the whole course in Theology and Canon Law, he chose the cross of St. Dominic to be prominent.

EAGLE AND A HAND. The bishop-elect placed the symbols of the Archdiocese of Caceres, being the diocese of origin, which are the eagle and a hand to remember St. Peter Baptist, patron saint of the archdiocese.

ANGELS. The two angels represent St. Raphael and St. Michael. The former is the patron of Basud, Camarines Norte where the bishop-elect was born; the latter is the patron of Caramoan, Camarines Sur where he grew up and studied in his pre-seminary years.

ROSE. It symbolizes the Blessed Mother. The bishop-elect is marked by the Blessed Virgin. He was born on August 5, feast of Our Lady of Snow; he entered the Holy Rosary Minor Seminary where he took up his classical studies under the diocesan clergy and proceeded to the Holy Rosary Major Seminary for his philosophical studies under the Vincentian Fathers; he took post-graduate studies in Rome where his home was Collegio Filipino under the protection of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage; he became rector of the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Penafrancia in Naga City; and finally, he will be assigned as Bishop of Virac which is under the patronage of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception.

STRIP OF LAND AND BOAT. The strip of land symbolizes the island-diocese of Virac. Noticeable too is a protruding piece of land over which the second angel stands. It represents Caramoan Peninsula from which the bishop-elect comes. The boat with a sail represents the people of God led by the Holy Spirit through the bishop and his priests. It also symbolizes that the bishop-elect, being a descendant from the Arcilla clan on his maternal grandmother’s side, goes back to his roots in Catanduanes where he shall henceforth pasture God’s people.

IN NOMINE DOMINI. The motto of the bishop-elect is similar to that of Pope Paul VI when he was made Archbishop of Milan. “Manolo”, his baptismal name comes from “Emmanuel”, the word announced by the Angel Gabriel when he appeared to Mary in the name of the Lord. The bishop-elect takes this call to the episcopacy and ordinary of Virac Diocese as a mission. He will come to assume the governance of the diocese not in his name but IN THE NAME OF LORD. The task of running a diocese demands courage and love. IN NOMINE DOMINI, he will come to the island-diocese of Virac in an attitude of peace and hope.

Design and interpretation: Bishop of Daet Benjamin J. Almoneda, DD

+ CARMINE ROCCO, DD

Titular Archbishop of Justinianopolis in Galatia  and Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines (1967-1973) on 12 November 1961 in the Church of San Carlo al Corso, Rome, (then, assisted by + FLAVIANO B. ARIOLA, Bishop of Legazpi, and + ARNULFO S. ARCILLA, Bishop of Sorsogon)

Consecrated

+ JOSE THOMAS SANCHEZ, DD

Titular Bishop of Lesvi and Auxiliary Bishop of Caceres on 12 May 1968 in the Cathedral of St. Gregory the Great, Legazpi City, Philippines.

On 12 September 1994 in the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Penafrancia, Naga City

+ JOSE THOMAS CARDINAL SANCHEZ, DD

Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Clergy, Holy See assisted by + GIAN VINCENZO MORENI, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, and + LEONARDO Z. LEGASPI, OP, DD, Archbishop of Caceres

Consecrated

+ MANOLO ALARKON DE LOS SANTOS, DD

Bishop of Virac

Installed on 10 October 1994 in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Virac, Catanduanes by + LEONARDO Z. LEGASPI, OP, DD, Archbishop of Caceres.