THE HISTORY
Mother Diocese
In 1595 the first ever Archdiocese in the Philippines was established. It is known to be the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila. Centuries had passed and the Archdiocese of Manila gave birth to many other Archdioceses and Dioceses in the Philippines.
In 1974, Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin divided Quezon City into four Vicariates. These are the Vicariates of Santa Rita, Holy Family, Saint Joseph, and Santo Nino.
On August 10, 1987, the Ecclesiastical District of Quezon City was divided into Quezon City-North and Quezon City-South. The district's territories were revised on March 15, 2002 and was renamed as the Ecclesiastical District of Cubao.
Manila Auxiliary Bishop Socrates Villegas became the district bishop with Monsignor Daniel Santa Maria as its Episcopal Vicar.
Quo Satius Provideretur
On June 28, 2003 through the Papal Bull Quo Satius Provideretur signed by Pope John Paul II, the district was made a Diocese.
His Excellency Honesto F. Ongtioco, D.D., who was then Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Balanga, was named as the first bishop of Cubao and was installed on August 28, 2003. The Immaculate Conception Parish in Lantana, Cubao, Quezon City became the seat of the Diocese.
The diocese comprises the southern part of Quezon City, starting from Tandang Sora Avenue and Mactan Street leading throughout the south of the city, particularly the three legislative districts of the city in the south: District 1, District 3 except Barangays Camp Aguinaldo, Matandang Balara and EDSA Shrine in Brgy. Ugong Norte along EDSA-Ortigas, and District 4 except the lower part of Barangay Bagong Lipunan ng Crame.
It also comprises some barangays in District 6, namely Sangandaan, Baesa, Apolonio Samson, Unang Sigaw, Balon-bato, New Era, and portions of Culiat and Tandang Sora that are found on the southern portion across Tandang Sora Avenue.
Radio Veritas 846 owned by the Archdiocese of Manila and 2 other biggest television networks in the Philippines are under the diocese's jurisdiction.
The Diocese of Cubao consists of 6 Vicariates. These are the Vicariates of Holy Family, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, San Pedro Bautista, Santa Rita de Cascia, Santo Nino, and Saint Joseph.
It encompasses 45 Parishes, 2 Quasi Parish, 1 Shrine, 1 Mission Station. 131 Religious Congregations with 45 Men and 86 Women.
The Roots to Fruits
Within a short period of time of becoming a diocese, Cubao has already accomplished so many things.
These include the establishment of a Judicial Tribunal, the standardization of living allowance for the priests, the regularization of salaries and benefits for employees in the parishes, and the establishment of the Pabahay ng Diocese for the employees.
Aside from these, the diocese proudly owns two minor Basilicas, namely, the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the Basilica Minore de San Pedro Bautista.
Clergy, Religious, Laity
Cubao also has three National Shrines from which all the images of Mary are canonically crowned. These are the National Shrine of the Most Holy Rosary La Naval de Manila, the first ever canonically crowned image of Mary in the Philippines, the National Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in Retiro Quezon City, and the National Shrine and Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in New Manila.
For the very first time, the Diocese of Cubao also opened a Cause for Beatification and Canonization of a declared Servant of God, Darwin Ramos.
Indeed, the Diocese has harnessed the dynamic community of Cubao by becoming faithful to their thrust, with the Santatlo: the Clergy, Religious and the Laity as the center of the diocese.