Honesto Ongtioco

Honesto Flores Ongtioco was born on October 17, 1948, at San Fernando, Pampanga. He studied elementary at St. Scholastica's Academy and high school at Don Bosco Academy. In 1958, he had seminary training at San Jose Seminary. Three years after studying philosophy in 1964, he took theology at the Loyola School of Theology in Ateneo de Manila University. Ongtioco earned a master's degree in Organization Development and Planning in 1983 at the Southeast Asian Interdisciplinary Development Institute in Manila.

In 1984, he went to the United States to take renewal courses on Liturgy and Spirituality at St. John's University in New York City. After taking renewal courses, he went to Rome in 1987 where he obtained a licentiate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas.^[4]

On December 8, 1972, Ongtioco was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Emilio Cinense y Abera, Bishop of San Fernando at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption in San Fernando, 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, University of the Assumption, and other educational institutions. 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.^[5]

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.^[6]

Ongtioco was named as second Bishop of Balanga on April 8, 1998 by Pope John Paul II. He became the diocese's second bishop upon assuming office or his installation as bishop on June 18, 1998, the same day as his episcopal consecration. The installation ceremony was presided by the then-Archbishop of San Fernando, Pampanga Paciano Aniceto.^[7]

His inspiring words and assuring presence guided the Diocese of Balanga as it celebrated its 25th anniversary and as it responded to the call of the pope at the beginning of the third millennium, "Duc in Altum." His kindness and charity allowed the various branches of the diocesan tree to grow in different directions in pursuit of his plan to convoke a Diocesan Pastoral Assembly.^[8]

On June 28, 2003, he was named as the first Bishop of Cubao also by Pope John Paul II. He became the diocese's bishop upon his installation on the same day the new diocese was canonically erected in August 28, 2003, ending his 5 years and 2 months tenure as Bishop of Balanga. He was succeeded by Socrates Villegas upon his appointment to the position as third Bishop of Balanga on May 3, 2004 and installed into office on July 3, 2004. Villegas served as the diocese's third bishop and Ongtioco's successor from May 3, 2004 until he became fifth Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan in Pangasinan on November 4, 2009.^[9]

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 of the diocese on May 16, 2018. As per No. 244 of the Apostolorum Successores or Directory of Pastoral Ministry of Bishops, Ongtioco holds “all the faculties and rights to exercise the office of a diocesan bishop.” ^[10] He ceased being Apostolic Administrator of the diocese on August 21, 2019 upon the installation of Dennis Cabanada Villarojo, the fifth bishop of Malolos.

On July 19, 2019, the PNP–Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) filed charges against Ongtioco and members of the opposition for "sedition, cyber libel, libel, estafa, harboring a criminal, and obstruction of justice".^[11][12]

On December 3, 2024, Ongtioco will mandatorily retire as Bishop of Cubao due to already reaching the retirement age of 75. He will be succeeded by Elias Ayuban upon installation into office (appointed October 4, 2024 by Pope Francis).