Pope Francis cited Filipino bishops in his encyclical on the environment “Laudato Si, Mi Signore” (Praise be to You, My Lord). “Who turned the wonderworld of the seas into underwater cemeteries bereft of color and life?” the encyclical read, quoting part of a 1988 pastoral letter of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) titled “What Is Happening to Our Beautiful Land?” CBCP president Archbishop Socrates Villegas said the Pope’s citation was a recognition of the pastoral efforts of the Philippine bishops for almost two decades in the area of ecological stewardship.

Santos, S. G., & Gamil, J. T. (2015, June 21). Pope cites Pinoy bishops in encyclical on climate. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A9.