Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cotabato, Philippines 🇵🇭

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Cotabato / Cotabaten(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Kidapawan, Marbel

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Immaculate Conception (December 8)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: December 20

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1950.08.11: Established as Territorial Prelature of Cotabato and Sulu (English) / Cotabaten(sis) et Suluen(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Zamboanga and became suffragan of Manila)
1951.06.29: Became suffragan of Cagayan de Oro
1953.10.28: Renamed as Territorial Prelature of Cotabato / Cotabaten(sis) (Latin) (lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Sulu)
1960.12.17: Lost territory to establish Territorial Prelature of Marbel
1970.06.29: Became suffragan of Davao
1976.06.12: Promoted as Diocese of Cotabato / Cotabaten(sis) (Latin) (lost territory to establish Territorial Prelature of Kidapawan)
1979.11.05: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cotabato / Cotabaten(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Kidapawan and Marbel)

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2025.09.08 – ...):

Archbishop Charlie Malapitan Inzon, O.M.I. (59)

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Cotabato (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Charlie Malapitan Inzon, O.M.I. (59)
(2025.09.08 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cotabato (Philippines)

Vos amici mei estis

Born:	1965.11.24 (Putiao, Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1993.04.24
Consecrated Bishop:	2020.05.21

Vicar Apostolic of Jolo (Philippines) (2020.04.04 – 2025.09.08)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cotabato (Philippines) (2025.09.08 – ...)

Archbishop Angelito Rendon Lampon, O.M.I. (75)
(2018.11.06 – 2025.09.08)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Cotabato (Philippines)

Accipe oblationem meam

Born:	1950.03.01 (M’Lang, Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1977.04.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1998.01.06

Titular Bishop of Valliposita (1997.11.21 – 2018.11.06)

Vicar Apostolic of Jolo (Philippines) (1997.11.21 – 2018.11.06)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cotabato (Philippines) (2018.11.06 – 2025.09.08)

Cardinal Orlando Beltran Quevedo, O.M.I. (86)
(1998.05.30 – 2018.11.06)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria «Regina Mundi» a Torre Spaccata
Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Cotabato (Philippines)

Caritas congaudet veritati

Born:	1939.03.11 (Laoag, Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1964.06.05
Consecrated Bishop:	1980.10.28
Created Cardinal:	2014.02.22

Bishop-Prelate of Kidapawan (Philippines) (1980.07.23 – 1982.11.15)

Bishop of Kidapawan (Philippines) (1982.11.15 – 1986.03.22)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Nueva Segovia (Philippines) (1986.03.22 – 1998.05.30)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cotabato (Philippines) (1998.05.30 – 2018.11.06)

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (C.B.C.P.) (1999 – 2003)

Secretary General of Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (2006 – 2011.10.21)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria «Regina Mundi» a Torre Spaccata (2014.02.22 [2014.04.24] – ...)

Archbishop Philip Francis Smith, O.M.I.
(1980.03.14 – 1998.05.30)

Amare et servire

Born:	1924.10.16 (Lowell, MA, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1950.10.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1972.09.08
Died:	2002.09.30 (Cotabato, Philippines † 77)

Vicar Apostolic of Jolo (Philippines) (1972.06.26 – 1979.04.11)

Titular Bishop of Lamphua (1972.06.26 – 1980.03.14)

Coadjutor Bishop of Cotabato (Philippines) (1979.04.11 – 1979.11.05)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Cotabato (Philippines) (1979.11.05 – 1980.03.14)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cotabato (Philippines) (1980.03.14 – 1998.05.30)

Archbishop Gérard Mongeau, O.M.I.
(1979.11.05 – 1980.03.14)

Born:	1900.02.04 (L’Épiphanie, QC, Canada)
Ordained Priest:	1924.06.14
Consecrated Bishop:	1951.06.29
Died:	1994.10.31 († 94)

Titular Bishop of Diana (1951.03.27 – 1976.06.12)

Bishop-Prelate of Cotabato (Philippines) (1951.03.27 – 1976.06.12)

Bishop of Cotabato (Philippines) (1976.06.12 – 1979.11.05)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cotabato (Philippines) (1979.11.05 – 1980.03.14)

Bishops of Cotabato (Roman Rite)

Bishop Gérard Mongeau, O.M.I. (later Archbishop)
(1976.06.12 – 1979.11.05)

(see above)

Prelates of Cotabato (Roman Rite)

Bishop Gérard Mongeau, O.M.I. (later Archbishop)
(1951.03.27 – 1976.06.12)

(see above)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Archbishop: Archbishop Philip Francis Smith, O.M.I. (1979.11.05 – 1980.03.14)
Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Philip Francis Smith, O.M.I. (later Archbishop) (1979.04.11 – 1979.11.05)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop José Colin Mendoza Bagaforo (71) (2006.02.02 – 2016.07.25)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Antonino Nepomuceno, O.M.I. (1969.07.11 – 1979.12.11)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Cotabato City, Maguindanao, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Churches by City (34)

Marawi (↑), Kidapawan (→), Marbel (↘)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 9,575 km²

Population: 1,108,300 Catholics (45.6% of 2,431,960 total)

Pastoral Centres: 34 parishes, 1 mission

Personnel: 55 priests (diocesan), 2 deacons, 144 religious (36 brothers, 108 sisters), 29 seminarians