Filipino bishops to discuss midterm elections, Church transparency on biannual plenary assembly
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is set to discuss the country’s May midterm elections in their biannual plenary assembly next week.
The CBCP has invited representatives from the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), to attend the gathering set from January 25 to 27, said Msgr. Bernardo Pantin, CBCP secretary-general.
As the local Church’s official election watchdog, the delgates of PPCRV are expected to present updates regarding preparation for the upcoming polls.
On May 12, 2025, an estimated 68 million Filipinos will cast ballots in the midterm elections. Twelve senators, 254 district representatives, 63 party-list representatives, and 17,942 governors, provincial board members, mayors, and councilors are among the more than 18,000 politicians they will elect. In Muslim Mindanao's Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, southern Philippines, parliamentary seats will also be up for election.
In addition, Msgr. Pantin said that the gathering will also see the bishops discussing key themes about faith formation, social action efforts, and Church projects related to the Synod on Synodality.
Prior to the plenary assembly, the bishops will attend a three-day seminar on “transparency and accountability” within the Church.
It will feature speakers from the Philippines, Rome, London, and the United States.
This seminar is a follow-up to the workshop attended by some Filipino bishops and priests at the Vatican in June 2024.
Msgr. Pantin said that the CBCP has decided to “cascade” this seminar to the dioceses in the Philippines in order to train their respective financial officers as well.
This will be the 129th plenary assembly of the CBCP, to be hosted by the Archdiocese of Lipa in the Province of Batangas, some 106 kilometers south of Manila.
It serves as the highest decision-making body of the conference that meets every January and July.
The CBCP is currently composed of 84 active bishops, 38 retired bishops considered honorary members, and four diocesan priest-administrators.
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