Pope Leo appoints parish priest as new Kalibo bishop
MANILA, Philippines — Pope Leo XIV has named a parish priest as the new bishop of the Diocese of Kalibo.
In a press release issued by the Holy See Press Office on Sunday, January 25 (Manila time), it said that the pope appointed Cyril Buhayan Villareal, 51, as the bishop of Kalibo.
Villareal will succeed Bishop Jose Corazon Tala-oc, who retired in June 2025.
Born on March 1, 1974, in Mambusao, Capiz, the bishop-elect began his journey to the priesthood at Saint Pius X Seminary in Lawaan, Roxas City, where he studied philosophy.
He later attended the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, where he earned his licentiate in theology, and was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Capiz on March 25, 2001.
Following his ordination, Villareal took on various roles, initially serving as a formator and lecturer at Sancta Maria, Mater et Regina Seminarium in Roxas City and as a priest in Quezon City.
After completing advanced studies in moral theology in Austria, he returned to serve as rector of the Immaculate Conception Metropolitan Cathedral and the Colegio de la Purisima Concepcion.
He was also the director of the Office for the Reception of Reports Pertaining to Sexual Abuse by Clerics and Religious from 2020 to 2023.
Before his appointment, he was the parish priest of Saint Thomas of Villanova in Dao under the Diocese of Capiz.
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