By Ferdinand Patinio | Philippine News Agency
Pope Francis on Sunday appointed Bishop Roberto Mallari to lead the 61-year-old Diocese of Tarlac.
The pontiff made the announcement in Rome around 7 p.m. Manila time.
Mallari replaces the late Bishop Enrique Macaraeg, who passed away in October 2023. He has been serving as San Jose, Nueva Ecija bishop since July 2012.
As Tarlac bishop, Mallari will oversee a diocese with around 60 parishes and a population of more than 1.2 million Catholics.
Born in Masantol, Pampanga, he completed his major seminary formation at San Carlos Seminary in Makati City and holds a master’s degree in spirituality from the Priests School for Asia in Tagaytay City and furthered his studies at the School for Priests in Florence, Italy.
Mallari was ordained priest for the Archdiocese of San Fernando on Nov. 27, 1982. He served as spiritual director at the Mother of Good Counsel Seminary in Pampanga from 1983 to 1987 and from 1989 to 1994.
Before becoming a bishop, he was executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines—Episcopal Commission on Family and Life (CBCP-ECFL) from 2000 to 2006.
On Jan. 14, 2006, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Mallari as auxiliary bishop of San Fernando, and he was ordained to the episcopate on March 27, 2006. He was named bishop of San Jose in May 2012.
Mallari has also served as vice chairman of the ECFL and chairman of the Episcopal Commission on Catechesis and Catholic Education.
He also chaired the Office of Social Communications of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC).
