Pope Francis appoints Bishop Roberto Mallari as new head of Tarlac diocese

Pope Francis has appointed Bishop Roberto Mallari as the new head of the Diocese of Tarlac. He replaces Bishop Enrique Macaraeg, who died in October 2023. Mallari, 66, is the fourth bishop of the diocese. Before this role, Mallari led the Diocese of San Jose in Nueva Ecija for over 12 years. He will oversee about 60 parishes and a Catholic population of more than 1.2 million in Tarlac. Mallari has been vocal against former President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs and the harassment of Church workers. He has a background in spirituality and has studied in both the Philippines and Italy.