Hobayan received the Sacrament of Holy Orders for the Diocese of Calbayog on March 25, 1955. On October 22, 1960, he was ordinated into the clergy of the newly formed Borongan Diocese. He later served as Vicar General of the Diocese of Borongan and Regent of the Jesus Nazareno Seminary in Borongan.[1] From 1968 to 1969, Hobayan led the Diocese of Borongan during the vacancy of the Sede as Capitular Vicar.[2]Pope Paul VI awarded him the papal honorary title of Apostolic Protonotary on June 28, 1974.[3]
Bishop
On December 12, 1974, Pope Paul VI appointed him as the first bishop of Catarman. The Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, Archbishop Bruno Torpigliani, ordained him as a bishop on March 5, 1975, in the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Borongan; Co-consecrators were the Godofredo Pedernal Pisig, Bishop of Borongan, and Ricardo Pido Tancinco, Bishop of Calbayog. Hobayan chose the motto Caritas justitiaque Christi (“The charity and justice of Christ”). The inauguration took place on March 11, 1975.
