Starting in January 2027, Abenir V. Pajaro and Valerie Sibala Antenorcruz Pajaro will step into a pivotal leadership role as the new president and companion of the Philippines Missionary Training Center (MTC), succeeding President Manuel M. and Sister Bernadette Mari B. Agustin. They will preside over the training center for a standard three-year term of service (2027–2030).
Their Mission at the MTC Rather than directing missionaries in the field, Brother and Sister Pajaro will oversee the foundational spiritual, doctrinal, and practical preparation of thousands of young elders and sisters before they scatter across Asia and beyond. Their daily focus will center on:
- Teaching doctrine, deepening testimony, and helping new arrivals transition into consecrated missionary living.
- Overseeing instruction in multiple languages (including English and various regional dialects) and mastering Preach My Gospel teaching principles.
- Mentoring young adults through the emotional, physical, and cultural adjustments of full-time missionary life.
- Directing MTC staff, teachers, ecclesiastical leaders, and operations across the Quezon City campus.
The Pajaros, from the Springville Ward (Las Piñas Philippines Stake), bring a lifetime of tailored ecclesiastical experience to this assignment. Having previously served as mission president and companion in the Philippines Cebu Mission—combined with Brother Pajaro’s past service as a counselor in an MTC presidency and an Area Seventy—they are intimately familiar with both the rigors of field service and the distinct environment of missionary training.
Their background in welfare, self-reliance, and humanitarian service, paired with Sister Pajaro’s extensive leadership in stake and ward Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary organizations, positions them to offer both practical mentorship and nurturing guidance to incoming missionaries.
