SANTA ROSA, Laguna — Catholic prelates from across the country will convene tomorrow for the 129th plenary assembly of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to pray and discuss key issues facing the Church today.

Being the highest decision-making body of the CBCP with 126 members, including 84 active bishops, 38 honorary or retired bishops, and four diocesan priest-administrators, deliberations in the assembly will focus on the themes of formation, social action and the Synod on Synodality.

The plenary will be hosted by the Archdiocese of Lipa and held at Seda Hotel in Santa Rosa, Laguna. It is preceded by a three-day seminar on the issues on transparency and accountability that started last Wednesday, January 22.

According to CBCP secretary general Msgr. Bernardo Pantin, the seminar was not only attended by bishops but also involved financial administrators of the various dioceses across the archipelago.

The seminar, which ends today, feature speakers from the Philippines, as well as from Rome, London and the United States. It is a follow-up to a similar workshop held at the Vatican in June 2024, which some Filipino bishops and priests attended and aimed to equip Church leaders with practical tools to promote
transparency within their organizations.

After seeing the importance of the issues discussed, Msgr. Pantin said that the CBCP decided to 'cascade' the seminar to the Philippines to extend its benefits not only to the clergy but to diocesan financial officers as well.

With the national and local elections (NLE) fast approaching, the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) will also report during the plenary assembly regarding its preparations for the midterm polls.

On the final day, January 27, a Mass will be presided over by Archbishop Giovanni Cesare Pagazzi, Secretary of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Culture and Education, who will also attend the CBCP's biannual assembly.