CBCP celebrates 80th year

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) celebrated its 80th anniversary on 15 February 2025.

The CBCP traces its origins to 1945, when Archbishop William Piani, then Apostolic Delegate to the Philippines, established the Catholic Welfare Organization (CWO).

The CWO's mission was "to unify, coordinate, and organize the Catholic people of the Philippines in works of education, social welfare, religious and spiritual aid, and other activities."

After World War II, the CWO primarily focused on relief services. In response to developments from the Second Vatican Council, the CWO was renamed the CBCP on 31 January 1968.

"Over the past 80 years, alongside diocesan clergy and the religious, the CBCP has worked to address the needs of the Catholic Church in the country and contribute to nation-building," the CBCP said.

"One of the most important aspects of the CBCP's mission is its teaching role, reflecting and responding to pressing issues. It does this through pastoral letters that address not only matters of faith and morals but also issues of social justice, social action, and pastoral concerns," it added.

As the national episcopal conference of the Philippines, the CBCP consists of all diocesan bishops, bishops equivalent in church law, coadjutor and auxiliary bishops, and titular bishops who hold special offices assigned by the Apostolic See.

Currently, the CBCP has 90 active bishops and 50 honorary bishops as members. Its chancery is centrally located within Intramuros, Manila, just behind the Manila Cathedral.

The CBCP’s primary role is to promote solidarity within the Philippine Church, formulate joint pastoral policies and programs, and align the Philippine Church with the universal Church.

The Bishop of Kalookan, Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David, has served as CBCP President since December 2021.