MANILA – The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is set to elect this week a new set of officials, including the president and vice president, during its biannual gathering to be held in Bohol.
A report on CBCP News quoted Secretary General Msgr. Bernardo Pantin saying that aside from the elections, key matters will also be discussed during the meeting to be held from June 30 to July 7.
The gathering will start with the annual retreat for the bishops to be held in Tagbilaran City from June 30 to July 4, while the plenary assembly will take place in Anda from July 5 to 7.
Aside from electing the top two officials, the bishops will also elect nine regional representatives to the permanent council, as well as commission chairs.
The new president and vice president will succeed Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David of Diocese of Kalookan and Bishop Mylo Vergara of Pasig, respectively. They will be completing their second and final terms in November.
The newly elected officials will assume office on Dec. 1.
The bishops will choose six delegates — two each from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao — to attend the 2026 plenary assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) in Malaysia.
Pantin said Cardinals Jose Advincula of Manila and David, along with the next CBCP president, will be automatic delegates to the FABC assembly.
The CBCP currently has 126 members, including 87 active bishops, 38 honorary or retired bishops, and three diocesan priest-administrators. (PNA)
