Конференция католических епископов Филиппин

Assembly of Catholic bishops

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is the permanent organizational assembly of the Catholic bishops of the Philippines exercising together certain pastoral offices for the Christian faithful of their territory through apostolic plans, programs and projects suited to the circumstances of time and place in accordance with law for the promotion of the greater good offered by the Catholic Church to all people. Standing as the national episcopal conference in the Philippines, it consists all diocesan bishops and those equivalent to bishops in church law; all coadjutor and auxiliary bishops; and all other titular bishops who exercise for the entire nation a special office assigned to them by the Apostolic See. It has 90 active and 40 honorary bishops and other members. The chancery is centrally located within the Intramuros district, located just behind the Manila Cathedral. Kalookan bishop Pablo Virgilio David is the current president as of 2021.

As provided in its constitution, the purposes of this episcopal conference is to promote solidarity in the Philippine Church; to engage the Philippine Church actively in the thrusts of the universal church; to assume the responsibilities as evangelizer in relation to all the people, and in particular to civil authority; and to foster relations with other Episcopal Conferences. The Plenary Assembly meets in regular session twice a year: in January and in July. When the Plenary Assembly is not in session, the Permanent Council acts for and in behalf of the Conference. The Permanent Council is composed of a chairman, Vice Chairman, and ten regional representatives (five for Luzon, two for Visayas and three for Mindanao). The President of the CBCP serves for a term of two years, and is limited to only two consecutive terms. The members of the Permanent Council, on the other hand, have a term of two years but are allowed a cumulative number of up to four terms. They may not, however, serve for more than two consecutive terms in succession.

Bishops convene as a Plenary Assembly on a regular basis only twice a year. When the Plenary Assembly is not in session, it is the Permanent Council which acts for and on behalf of all the bishops. The Permanent Council, composed of ten elected members representing the Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao regions, acts in accordance with the Constitution and By Laws of the CBCP, and the policies and standing decisions of the Plenary Assembly. The Council may be convened by the President at any time for the discharge of its regular functions or for special purposes. However, when the Council cannot have a quorum, the members present, together with other CBCP members available, may also act for and in behalf of the Conference. The Permanent Council's regular functions include ensuring that the decisions made during the Plenary Assembly are properly executed and directing the activities of the Office and other agencies of the Conference. It is also tasked to prepare the agenda for the meetings of the Plenary Assembly and examine and approve the Conference's annual budget, prior to submission and final approval of the Plenary Assembly. A crucial function of the Permanent Council is to prepare the Joint Statements or Pastoral Letters of the Hierarchy on subject matters decided on by the Plenary Assembly, and see to it that copies are sent to the members for comment and/or approval before they are officially released. Lagdameo asked the government to review the controversial anti terror law, fearing it could be abused. The CBCP warned that the Human Security Act may be used by authorities to quell popular dissent against the government of Mrs. Arroyo. The CBCP, in a press conference, further called for a change of leadership at the Commission on Elections as it noted the "continuing dominance" of political dynasties, dagdag bawas, and poll violence. Demanding "full revamp of the Comelec", it sought for the appointment of people with "unquestioned integrity and competence, especially in systems and management" to succeed Chair Abalos and the five other members. There should also be "serious efforts to de politicize and professionalize the bureaucracy," the CBCP said in a two page pastoral statement read by its president Angel Lagdameo. Its call came after the vote of the 85 bishop CBCP during their two day plenary assembly. Meanwhile, Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento urged the early nomination process (which must be transparent and should involve the electorate) for the four poll commissioners. The terms of office of Chair Abalos and Commissioners Tuason and Borra would end in February next year, with an existing vacancy at the Comelec. On December 17, 2007, in a statement on the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) website, Pampanga archbishop Paciano Aniceto stated that Pope Benedict XVI assured Filipinos that God and the church are still with them – in his encyclical "Spe Salvi facti sumus (In hope we are saved)." Also, Manila auxiliary bishop Broderick Pabillo was appointed the new chair of the Episcopal Commission on Social Action and Peace and the National Action for Social Justice and Peace (Nassa), the CBCP's social arm, replacing Marbel bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez. On January 7, 2008, Bishop Leonardo Medroso, chairman of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Canon Law and bishop of Tagbilaran diocese, Bohol, issued the appeal to priests to stay away from politics, ahead of the May 2010 elections. He cited Code of Canon Law, prohibition, Canon 287, which forbids all clerics from entering politics and that priests "cannot have an active role in political parties unless the need to protect the rights of the church or to promote the common good." Three priests—Crisanto de la Cruz, Ronilo Maat Omanio and Ed Panlilio—who ran in the last elections were suspended from their pastoral duties as a result of their entry into the political arena. Only Panlilio won. On January 19, 2008, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (quoting from a letter of Vatican Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone) announced that Pope Benedict XVI "praised the courage of, and was saddened over the brutal and tragic killing of Reynaldo Roda in his ministry as head of Notre Dame School." The Pope wrote Jolo Bishop Angelito Lampon: "calls upon the perpetrators to renounce the ways of violence and to play their part in building a just and peaceful society, where all can live together in harmony." Church insiders reported that the CBCP was still ruled by conservatives, amid renewed calls for Mrs. Arroyo's resignation. Bishops therefore, failed to join these clamors, since the President "continues to wield influence over a good number of CBCP members".

In 2015, the head of CBCP's Episcopal Commission on Health Care, Dan Vicente Cancino, explained that the rise of HIV/AIDS cases in the Philippines due to Filipinos believing to "distorted concept of sexuality" due to lack of "family values formation". He urged Filipinos to adhere to traditional Filipino values and live a life of prayer. The Rise of HIV/AIDS cases in the Philippines, as much as Ten people per day, has been attributed to the CBCP's stance against reproductive health education and condom use.

In December 2011, the CBCP reportedly urged the Philippine Senate not to pass the Bill 2814 known as "Anti Ethnic, Racial or Religious Discrimination and Profiling Act of 2011" or "Anti discrimination Bill". CBCP legal counsel Roland Reyes stated that he believes that the bill is a precursor for the passage of a same sex marriage bill in the country. Another CBCP legal counsel, Jo Imbong, questioned protecting homosexuals because she considers homosexuality to be a choice of the individual. The CBCP sees the Anti discrimination bill as a challenge to religious freedom, but the CBCP stated that it supports the bill as long as it rejects second class treatment for the LGBT community.

The CBCP was embroiled in a controversy in 2011 over millions of pesos in donations from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office at the behest of then president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. According to a Commission on Audit report in 2009, some bishops received donations for the purchase of vehicles from the PCSO. Critics claim the donations was given to ensure church support for Arroyo, who was then buffeted by scandals and repeated threats of impeachment. In year 2002, CBCP apologized for the cases of sexual abuse and misconduct that were committed by its priests. CBCP admitted that around 200 priests have been involved in various cases of sexual misconducts, not limited only to pedophilia, for time period of 20 years. According to one report, cases of pedophilia in the Philippines were settled out of courts, with the convicted members of clergy being transferred to another parishes by their Bishops.

The 54 room institution is a brainchild of now retired Manila Archbishop Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales. In 1991, at the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines (PCP II), the CBCP decided to build a national center for the ongoing renewal and rehabilitation of clergy, to operate under the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ Episcopal Commission on Clergy. According to Noel Deslate, former director of the center, for every 20 priests in the Galilee Center, four are cases of pedophilia. "Unfortunately, we were not able to document it," he said. "But I am sure (of) the number." sic. This center is supported by Felicidad Sy a member of the wealthy Sy family who owns BDO and SM Group.