In a significant development for the Catholic Church in the Philippines, the Vatican announced on Tuesday the creation of the Diocese of Prosperidad in Agusan del Sur, a province located in the southern part of the country.
This move is seen as a strategic step to enhance pastoral care in the region.
The newly established Diocese of Prosperidad was carved out of the Diocese of Butuan, which will now solely oversee the province of Agusan del Norte.
The Diocese of Butuan, founded over 50 years ago, had been administering both Agusan provinces until this decision.
The creation of the new diocese follows a petition filed last year by Bishop Cosme Damian Almedilla of the Diocese of Butuan. Bishop Almedilla proposed the division as a “strategic move” to better serve the Catholic faithful in each province.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) approved the request on July 9, 2023, which set the wheels in motion for the establishment of the new diocese.
The Diocese of Prosperidad, officially founded on October 15, 2024, becomes the 87th diocese in the Philippines.
It encompasses 26 parishes and serves a Catholic population of more than 486,000. The diocese will be supported by 32 diocesan priests, 29 religious priests, 59 seminarians, two professed religious, and six sisters.
Agusan del Sur, home to one city and 13 municipalities, is considered a "missionary frontier" due to its large indigenous population residing in the province’s mountainous areas, making the task of evangelization both vital and challenging.
Pope Francis has appointed 58-year-old Bishop Ruben Labajo, currently an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Cebu, as the first bishop of the new Diocese of Prosperidad.
His appointment is seen as a pivotal moment for the faithful in the region, marking a new chapter in the Church's mission in Agusan del Sur.
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