Episcopal Commission for the Biblical Apostolate

Pope Paul VI approved Vatican II's Conciliar Document "Dei Verbum" or Constitution on Divine Revelation On November 18 1965. And in 1968, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) under the Episcopal Commission for the Promotion of Christian Unity organized an Episcopal Committee on the Bible with Msgr. Mario Baltazar, OP as Chairman. In 1969, Fr. Efren Rivera, OP represented the CBCP at the formal establishment of the World Catholic Federation for the Bible Apostolate (WCFBA) in Rome.

In 1972, the Catholic Bible Center was established with the blessings of the Administrative Council of CBCP. it was also the International Book Year by theUnited Nation. In line with the celebration, the Holy See exhorted Catholics to participate by the promotion of the Book of the Bible. Thus the first Sunday of Advent was declared as the time for the Annual Celebration of Bible Week in the Philippines.

In July 1978, the CBCP acted to have DV implemented formally organized the Episcopal Commission for the Biblical Apostolate (ECBA), Fr. Efren Rivera, OP, STD as the first Executive Secretary. Bp. Cirilo Almario, DD the second ECBA Chairman and was succeeded by the third chairman, Bp. Crisostomo Yalung, DD. The incumbent Chairman is Bp. Arturo M. Bastes, SVD, DD (4th Chairman) and Fr. Oscar A. Alunday is so far the secong ECBA Executive Secretary. The Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, "Dei Verbum" provided the basis for a true and genuine Biblical Renewal in the Church. This Conciliar Document became the Magna Carta of the Biblical Apostolate.

On September 29, 1979, John Paul I Biblical Center the first and the pioneer Regional Center in the Philippines, was blessed in Vigan City at the Immaculate Conception School of Theology, co-founded by Fr.Ludger Feldkemper, SVD (Father and Founder), Sr. Hernnietta Sebastian, OSB (Mother and co-foundress) and Ms. Felicitas Peroetua Gines (Lady and co-foundress) The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Northern Luzon (CBCNL) recognized JPIBC as the regional biblical center for Northern Luzon and Cordillera.

To date there are now twelve (12) Regional Biblical Centers spread all over the country,  namely; 

• John Paul I Biblical Center (JPIBC) for Northern Luzon and Cordillera
• Pius X Biblical Center (PXBC) for Cenral Luzon
• St. Peter Biblical Center (SPBC) for National Capital Region
• Mary Star of Evangelization Biblical Center (MSEBC) for Manila Suffragans
• Sentro Pastoral Biblical Center (SPBC) for Southern Luzon
• Nuestra Señora dela Peñafrancia Biblical Center (NSDPBC) for Bicol Region
• Living Word Biblical Center (LWBC) for Eastern Visayas
• Dei Verbum Biblical Center (DVBC) for Western Visayas
• St. Jerome Biblical Center (SJBC) for Central Visayas
• Pope Paul VI Biblical Center (PPVIBC) for Mindanao

1. DADITAMA Subregional
2. CABUSTAM Subregional
3. DOPIM Subregional
4. KIDMACO Subregional
5. ZAMBALUSI Subregional

• Stela Maris Biblical Center (SMBC)  for Palawan
• Pilar of Fire Biblical Center (PFBC)  for  Military Ordinariate in the Philippines