Honesto Ongtioco

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His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Honesto Ongtioco

D.D., STL
Bishop Emeritus of Cubao
Ongtioco in 2023
ChurchCatholic Church
ProvinceManila
SeeCubao
AppointedJune 28, 2003
InstalledAugust 28, 2003
RetiredDecember 3, 2024
PredecessorDiocese erected
SuccessorElias Ayuban CMF
Previous posts
Orders
OrdinationDecember 8, 1972
by Emilio Cinense y Abera
ConsecrationJune 18, 1998
by Jaime Sin
Personal details
Born (1948-10-17) October 17, 1948
San Fernando, Pampanga, Philippines
ResidenceBishop's Residence, Cubao, Quezon City
Alma materSan Jose Seminary
Ateneo de Manila University
MottoMaior autem caritas
(Latin for 'The greatest of these is charity')
Ordination history
History
Priestly ordination
Ordained byEmilio Cinense y Abera
DateDecember 8, 1972
Episcopal consecration
Principal consecratorJaime Sin
Co-consecrators
DateJune 18, 1998
PlaceSan Fernando Cathedral, Pampanga
Styles

Honesto "Nes" Flores Ongtioco (born October 17, 1948) is a Filipino bishop of the Catholic Church. He served as the first Bishop of Cubao from 2003 to 2024.

Early life and education

Honesto Flores Ongtioco was born on October 17, 1948, at San Fernando, Pampanga. He attended high school at Don Bosco Academy. He also attended the Loyola School of Theology in Ateneo de Manila University.

In 1987 he obtained a licentiate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas.[1]

Ministry

Priesthood (1972–1998)

On December 8, 1972, Ongtioco was ordained to the priesthood by San Fernando bishop Emilio Cinense y Abera at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption in Pampanga.

After his ordination, Ongtioco was given several assignments within the Archdiocese of San Fernando. He served as spiritual director, professor, rector, and other positions in Mother of Good Counsel Minor Seminary, and University of the Assumption. He was also appointed as parochial vicar of the Holy Rosary Parish in Angeles City from 1974 to 1975 and at St. Peter and Paul Parish in Apalit from 1975 to 1977. In 1975, he was also the acting parish priest of St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish in Porac and acting director of St. Catherine Academy in Apalit.[2]

On March 21, 1992, Ongtioco was invested as honorary prelate. Five years later, he was appointed as rector of the Pontificio Collegio Filippino in Rome, Italy.[3]

Bishop of Balanga (1998–2003)

Ongtioco became Bishop of Balanga on June 18, 1998. The installation ceremony was presided by the then-Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Gian Vincenzo Moreni, and Archbishops of San Fernando Paciano Aniceto and Manila Jaime Sin as consecrator.[4]

Ongtioco served as the treasurer of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) from 2001 to 2011.[5][6][7][8][9]

Bishop of Cubao (2003–2024)

On June 28, 2003, he was named as the first Bishop of Cubao by Pope John Paul II.[10]

Due to the death of Bishop José F. Oliveros, the fourth Bishop of Malolos, on May 11, 2018, Pope Francis appointed him as the apostolic administrator or temporary bishop of the diocese on May 16, 2018. As per No. 244 of the Apostolorum Successores or Directory of Pastoral Ministry of Bishops, Ongtioco held “all the faculties and rights to exercise the office of a diocesan bishop.”[11] He ceased being apostolic administrator of the diocese on August 21, 2019, upon the installation of Dennis Cabanada Villarojo as Oliveros' successor.

On July 19, 2019, the PNP–Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) filed charges against Ongtioco, fellow bishops Socrates Villegas, Pablo Virgilio David, and Teodoro Bacani Jr., as well as members of the opposition for "sedition, cyber libel, libel, estafa, harboring a criminal, and obstruction of justice".[12][13] The charges were eventually dropped in February 2020 due to lack of evidence.[14]

On October 4, 2024, Pope Francis accepted his resignation after he reached the retirement age of 75 effective on December 3, 2024 where Elias Ayuban became his successor upon installation on a latter date.[15][4]

Coat of arms

Coat of arms of Honesto Ongtioco
Adopted
August 28, 2003
Helm
Bishop's galero
The shield is surmounted by the bishop's galero or ecclesiastical hat of this rank with six tassels for each side in vert (green) that signifies the rank of a bishop.
Escutcheon
From 2003: Parted per fess: First: Golden (or), three hills surmounted by a Tau cross, Second: Azure (blue), four, five-petalled white flowers on a blue field; Impaled with a shield tierced per fess: Golden (or) crown and three white stars on a blue (azure) diagonal line on a white (argent) background.
Motto
Maior autem caritas
"The greatest of these is charity" (from 1 Corinthians 13:13).
Other elements
Latin Cross
The shield is also surmounted by the Latin cross, symbolizing the bishop's dignity.
Previous versions

Bishop of Balanga (June 18, 1998–August 28, 2003)

References

  1. "Bishop Honesto F. Ongtioco". UCAN Directory: Database of Catholic Dioceses in Asia. Archived from the original on January 3, 2018. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  2. "Bishop Honesto F. Ongtioco". Union of Catholic Asian News. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  3. "Most Rev. Honesto F. Ongtioco, D.D." CBCP Online: The Official Website of The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines. Retrieved May 27, 2016.
  4. Cheney, David M. "Bishop Honesto Flores Ongtioco [Catholic-Hierarchy]". Catholic Hierarchy. Retrieved May 27, 2016.
  5. "CBCP Officers (2001-2003)" (PDF). Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  6. "CBCP Officers (2003-2005)" (PDF). Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  7. "CBCP Officers (2005-2007)" (PDF). Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  8. "CBCP Officers (2009-2011)" (PDF). Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  9. "CBCP Officers (2009-2011)" (PDF). Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  10. "Diocese of Cubao – History". dioceseofcubao.ph. Archived from the original on May 11, 2016. Retrieved May 27, 2016.
  11. "Bishop Ongtioco named Malolos diocese administrator". CBCPNews. May 16, 2018. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  12. "Robredo, ilang taga-oposisyon kinasuhan ng PNP-CIDG ukol sa 'Bikoy' videos". ABS-CBN News (in Tagalog).
  13. "Sedition raps: Solons, bishop hit 'stupid' PNP". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  14. "Sedition charges dropped against 4 bishops in Philippines". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  15. "Rinunce e nomine". press.vatican.va. Retrieved December 3, 2024.