Bishop Ruben Labajo will be the first bishop of the newly-established ecclesiastical territory of the Diocese of Prosperidad in Agusan del Sur. Photo from CBCP News

MANILA - Pope Francis has established a new diocese in the Philippines — the Diocese of Prosperidad in Agusan del Sur.

The pontiff has chosen Bishop Ruben Labajo, currently serving as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Cebu, as the first bishop of the new ecclesiastical territory.

The Vatican made the announcement on Tuesday, October 15, 2024.

The new diocese, which was carved out from the Diocese of Butuan, will cover the province of Agusan del Sur. Meanwhile, the Diocese of Butuan will comprise the province of Agusan del Norte.

The pope's decision to divide the Diocese of Butuan came from a petition filed by Bishop Cosme Damian in 2023.

The Diocese of Prosperidad will be the country's 87th diocese, according to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP). It will be a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro.

The 58-year-old Labajo was consecrated as bishop in 2022. He has been serving as priest in Cebu since his presbyteral ordination in 1994.