Bishop Julio Labayen dies, he was 90

The Most Reverend Julio Xavier Labayen OCD, DD, Bishop Emeritus of the prelature of Infanta, died at 6:52 Wednesday.

Bishop Labayen dies at 90 #News https://t.co/1UMu0tGhmM pic.twitter.com/0Vxg2txQMq

— CBCPNews (@cbcpnews) April 27, 2016

Bishop Labayen served the Prelature of Infanta for 37 years. He was 90 years old.

Until April 27, Wednesday morning 2016, he was the last surviving Filipino bishop to have participated in the Second Vatican Council. He spent his last years in Antipolo.

Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Secretary General Fr. Marvin Mejia confirmed Labayen's passing.

Mejia said he got the news of Labayen's passing away from Bishop Bernardino Cortez of the prelature of Infanta in Quezon province.

A report on CBCB news site said Labayen was born on July 23, 1926 in Talisay, Negros Occidental, and was ordained priest of the Order of Discalced Carmelites on July 4, 1955.

On July 26, 1966, he was appointed Prelate of the Prelature of Infanta.

He was the first National Director of the National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA)/Caritas Philippines of the CBCP that remained under his watch from 1966 to 1982.

In 1966 he published IMPACT, a magazine that braved the suppressed media during martial law.

Bishop Labayen is best remembered for His pro-active witness and promotion of the social teachings of the Church.  — Bernadette Parco/LBG, GMA News