ListenMANILA, Philippines – A senior Filipino prelate urged his brother bishops, during their recent plenary assembly, to keep their biannual meetings frugal to avoid the “scandal” of “accepting lavish hospitality” from their host dioceses. Bishop Crispin Varquez, leader of the Catholic Church in one of the country’s poorest provinces, made this appeal in a privilege speech addressed to 90 Filipino bishops and administrators during the 131st plenary assembly of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP). In his privilege speech, Varquez referred to the recent practice of holding CBCP plenary assemblies in different provinces instead of the traditional venue, the Philippine capital Manila. It is a practice reinforced by the traditional strength of the Catholic Church in the country: nearly 86 million Filipinos, or 79% of the population, make up the biggest Catholic stronghold in Asia. The prelate added, “I’m sure his privilege speech will become a guide, a moral reminder, for many of our bishops.”Varquez’s speech drew positive reactions online, with many commenters stating that this critique has been waiting to be told.