Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of the Diocese of Kalookan was reelected as president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Saturday, July 8.Â
According to CBCP News, David was reelected on the opening day of the CBCP's 126th plenary session at the Marzon Hotel in Kalibo, Aklan. The 64-year-old bishop will serve his second and final term as president of CBCP. During the plenary session, Diocese of Pasig Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara was also reelected as CBCP vice president. Approximately 80 bishops have convened for the three-day assembly, which serves as the CBCP's highest governing body for decision-making and will continue until Monday, July 10. David is one of the foremost biblical scholars in the Philippines. He holds a doctorate in theology from the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium and became the bishop of the Diocese of Kalookan in January 2016. Meanwhile, Vergara was ordained a deacon at the Archdiocese of Manila in 1989 and appointed as the third Bishop of San Jose in 2005 by Pope John Paul II. David has been outspoken for appealing "a more serious action" against the climate problem and for religious institutions "to be one in declaring a state of emergency." Moreover, David and Vergara were first chosen as president and vice president in 2021. The CBCP comprises 87 active bishops, three diocesan administrators, and 43 retired bishop honorary members. *(Rhowen Del Rosario)*
Bishop Pablo Virgilio David (Manila Bulletin photo)
According to CBCP News, David was reelected on the opening day of the CBCP's 126th plenary session at the Marzon Hotel in Kalibo, Aklan. The 64-year-old bishop will serve his second and final term as president of CBCP. During the plenary session, Diocese of Pasig Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara was also reelected as CBCP vice president. Approximately 80 bishops have convened for the three-day assembly, which serves as the CBCP's highest governing body for decision-making and will continue until Monday, July 10. David is one of the foremost biblical scholars in the Philippines. He holds a doctorate in theology from the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium and became the bishop of the Diocese of Kalookan in January 2016. Meanwhile, Vergara was ordained a deacon at the Archdiocese of Manila in 1989 and appointed as the third Bishop of San Jose in 2005 by Pope John Paul II. David has been outspoken for appealing "a more serious action" against the climate problem and for religious institutions "to be one in declaring a state of emergency." Moreover, David and Vergara were first chosen as president and vice president in 2021. The CBCP comprises 87 active bishops, three diocesan administrators, and 43 retired bishop honorary members. *(Rhowen Del Rosario)*