A THOMASIAN priest from Capiz has been appointed by the Vatican as the new bishop of the diocese of Kalibo, Aklan, the news arm of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines has reported.
Msgr. Cyril Villareal became the fifth bishop of the diocese after he was assigned to the post by Pope Leo XIV on Saturday, Jan. 24.
Villareal studied philosophy at St. Pius X Seminary in Roxas City before continuing his bachelor’s degree and licentiate in theology at the UST Central Seminary in 2000.
The newly-appointed bishop also completed his master’s degree in higher religious studies from the University in the same year, and a Magister Theologiae on moral theology from the University of Vienna in 2012.
He was ordained to priesthood in May 2001 at the Immaculate Conception Metropolitan Cathedral in Roxas City, where he would later serve as a rector from 2016 to 2018.
Before his appointment, Villareal worked as a parish priest of St. Thomas of Villanova Parish in Dao, Capiz.
The bishop previously served as a vicar general of the archdiocese of Capiz from 2016 to 2021, and was promoted as an administrator after then-Archbishop Jose Advincula transferred to Manila He held the post until Archbishop Victor Bendico took possession of the archdiocese in May 2023.
Villareal was also elected as assistant chaplain of the Filipino Catholic Chaplaincy in the Archdiocese of Vienna in Austria from 2005 to 2010.
The prelate also took roles in religious education as an assistant dean of theology at Sancta Maria Mater et Regina Seminarium from 2000 to 2004 and rector of Colegio de la Purisima Concepcion from 2018 to 2023, both in Roxas City.
He also served as a director of the Office for the Reception of Reports Pertaining to Sexual Abuse by Clerics and Religious and diocesan administrator from 2020 to 2023 and 2021 to 2023, respectively.
Villareal will succeed Bishop Jose Corazon Tala-oc, who retired in June 2025 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75. F – Abigail Peralta
