Capiz priest appointed as new bishop of Kalibo

Pope Leo XIV has appointed a parish priest from Dao, Capiz the new bishop of the Diocese of Kalibo in Aklan, Panay Islands.

The appointment of Fr. Cyril Buhayan Villareal as the Bishop-Elect of the diocese was celebrated with the ringing of bells of the Cathedral Parish of St. John the Baptist in Kalibo.

Since 2023, Villareal served as the parish priest of Saint Thomas of Villanova in Dao Town.

He was born on March 1, 1974 in Mambusao, Capiz and studied philosophy at Saint Pius X Seminary in Lawaan, Roxas City, and was later awarded a licentiate in theology at the University of Santo Tomas.

Afterwards, he obtained a Magister Theologiae in moral theology at the University of Vienna in Austria.

In March 2001, Villareal was ordained priest for the Archdiocese of Capiz.

He was designated as formator and lecturer at the Sancta Maria, Mater Et Regina, Seminarium in Cagay, Roxas City from 2000 to 2004.

From 2004 to 2005, Villareal became priest of the Most Holy Redeemer Parish in Quezon City.

He served as formator at Sancta Maria, Mater Et Regina, Seminarium in Cagay, Roxas City from 2012 to 2016.

Villareal also became rector of the Immaculate Conception Metropolitan Cathedral in Roxas City (2016-2018), vicar general and member of the College of Consultors (2016-2021), and rector of the Colegio de la Purisima Concepcion in Roxas City (2018-2023).

From 2020 to 2023, he was appointed director of the Office for the Reception of Reports Pertaining to Sexual Abuse by Clerics and Religious and diocesan administrator (2021-2023).

Villareal will be the fifth bishop of Kalibo, succeeding Bishop Jose Corazon Tala-oc, who retired in June 2025 after nearly 14 years, according to a CBCP News report. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News