Father Gerardo Saco Jr. has been appointed the new bishop of the Diocese of Tagbilaran, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) reported.
The Vatican announced the appointment of Saco on Wednesday noon in Rome (7 p.m. Manila time).
Archbishop Charles Brown, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, relayed the news to the CBCP.
Saco, who has been serving as diocesan administrator since October 2025, succeeds Archbishop Alberto Uy, who led the diocese for eight years before his transfer to the Archdiocese of Cebu in September 2025.
Born in Tagbilaran, Saco studied philosophy at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary and theology at San Carlos Seminary in Cebu City.
He was ordained a priest on April 26, 1993, and previously served as vicar general under Uy. He becomes the eighth bishop of the Tagbilaran diocese.
Throughout his ministry, Saco also headed the diocesan Commission on Social Action and served as priest-in-charge of St. Vincent Ferrer Mission Station in Barangay Cabawan, Tagbilaran City.
He led parishes including Our Lady of Lourdes in Tagbilaran City, Our Lady of the Assumption in Dauis, and Holy Cross in Maribojoc.
Image: Diocese of Tagbilaran
