Pope names new Kalibo bishop

MANILA, Philippines — Pope Leo XIV on Saturday appointed Fr. Cyril Villareal as the new bishop of Kalibo in Aklan, succeeding Bishop Jose Corazon Tala-oc who retired in June 2025.

According to CBCPNews, the pontiff named the 51-year-old priest on Jan. 24 as a bishop, transferring him from the Archdiocese of Capiz to Kalibo.

Villareal has been the parish priest of St. Thomas of Villanova parish in Dao, Capiz since July 2024. He was born on March 1, 1974 and studied philosophy at St. Pius X Seminary in Roxas City and theology at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) in Manila.

He was ordained a priest on May 25, 2001. 

Villareal has a master’s degree in higher religious studies and a licentiate in sacred theology from UST, aside from a master’s degree in moral theology from the University of Vienna in Austria.

 He was the assistant dean of theology at the Sancta Maria Mater et Regina Seminarium in Roxas City from 2000 to 2004.