Church and civic leaders across the Philippines celebrated the elevation of Bishop Pablo Virgilio David to the rank of cardinal, calling it a testament to the nation’s vibrant faith and its pivotal role in the global Catholic Church.
David, the prelate of Kalookan and president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, was among 21 new cardinals elevated by Pope Francis during the Dec. 7 consistory at the Vatican.
On Monday, Senator Risa Hontiveros shared on her Facebook account a copy of a Senate resolution “congratulating and commending” the appointment of David as the 10th Filipino Cardinal.
The resolution recognizes David’s “openness to intercultural, interreligious dialogue, and to finding spaces to be able to collaborate, to be able to walk with the people of other faiths… to be able to work together for social justice, for the poorest of the poor, for human rights, and the integrity of Creation.”
David, who heads a diocese that has never had a cardinal at the helm, is a known critic of the Philippine government’s war on drugs campaign.
In a statement, the Diocese of Kalookan said the elevation of David is “a testament to the vibrant faith of the local Church and its growing role within the Universal Church.”
“This is a moment of celebration, not only for the Diocese of Kalookan but for the entire nation,” it added.
Bishop Joel Porlares, Supreme Bishop of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente, said the appointment of David as cardinal “brings in another reason to raise hope and gather strength amidst confusion, apathy, and sere in the country.”
“As a bishop who stands and raises voice against grave abuse of authority in the use of lethal force and violence in anti-drugs war and red-tagging, and who cries with the victims and their families in their struggle for justice, his ascent into higher moral and spiritual platform means so much to us,” he added.
Bishop Porlares emphasized that David’s transformative and compassionate leadership, along with the growing trust in the Church reflected in his selection to the College of Cardinals, underscores the enduring importance of the ministry of shepherding in times of abuse and chaos.
Cardinal David was ordained to the priesthood in 1983, named Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of San Fernando, Pampanga in 2006, and appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Kalookan in 2015. He is the incoming Vice-President of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences.
Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, President of Caritas Philippines, said David’s “elevation as Cardinal by the Holy Father is a recognition of his and the Philippines Church’s commitment to justice and solidarity with the victims of the bloody and violent war on drugs under the previous administration.”
In her social media account, human rights lawyer and former Senator Leila de Lima described David as “who has always shined the light and love of Jesus Christ on our nation during its darkest period and fought for the poorest of our countrymen.”
According to the Diocese of Kalookan, David will celebrate his first Holy Mass as a cardinal at San Roque Cathedral in Caloocan City on Dec. 14.
