Philippines: Bishop appointed for Caloocan Diocese

(Vatican Radio)The Holy Father on Wednesday, appointed His Excellency, Most Rev. Pablo Virgilio David Siongco, until now titular Bishop of Guardialfiera and Auxiliary Bishop of San Fernando, as the new Bishop of Kalookan (Philippines)

The see was vacant since January 25, 2013 after the resignation of its first bishop Most Rev. Deogracias S. Iñiguez, who had resigned early due to his deteriorating health. Upon Bishop Iñiguez's resignation, Bishop Francisco M. De Leon Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Antipolo was appointed Apostolic Administrator of the diocese.

Rev. Siongco Pablo Virgilio David was born in Betis, Guagua, Pampanga, in the Archdiocese of San Fernando, on March 2, 1959. He attended secondary school at the Mother of Good Counsel Minor Seminary. He did philosophy studies at the 'Ateneo’ de Manila University, and his theology course at the Loyola School of Theology. He was ordained a priest March 12, 1983 for the Archdiocese of San Fernando.

After a year as assistant parish priest, he was Director of the Mother of Good Counsel Seminary until 1986. From 1986 to 1991 he studied abroad, earning a Licentiate and later a Doctorate in Sacred Theology at the Catholic University of Louvain(Belgium), and attending courses at the Ecole Biblique de Jerusalem, where he graduated.

After returning to his country he held various offices of teaching within the educational team at the archdiocesan seminary. In 2002 he became director of the Department of Theology at the seminary, continuing to teach Sacred Scripture. In the same year he was elected vice-president of the 'Association of Catholic biblical scholars of the Philippines and Vice of the Archdiocesan Media Apostolate Networks. Msgr. David is the author of several academic as well as popular publications on Scripture.

On May 27, 2006 he was appointed Titular Bishop of Guardialfiera and Auxiliary of San Fernando, by Pope Benedict XVI. He was consecrated Bishop on July 10 the same year.

Within the Episcopal Conference of the Philippines, he is the President of the Episcopal Commission for the Biblical Apostolate.

The diocese was erected in 2003 from the Archdiocese of Manila. The diocese comprises Caloocan City-South, Malabon City, and Navotas City.