Euginius Longakit Cañete

Euginius Longakit Cañete was born July 8, 1966, in Liloan, Cebu. He earned a degree in psychology from the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod City, pursued philosophical and theological studies at the Maryhill School of Theology in Quezon City, and obtained a licentiate in canon law from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome in 2003. No episcopal motto has been established from opened sources, and none is given here.

He was ordained a priest on December 18, 1995, for the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (CICM). He served as parish priest of Saint Mary Immaculate in Zambia from 1996 to 1999, as a member of the Pastoral Team at Saint Maximilian Kolbe in Zambia in 2000, as professor at the Institute of Formation and Religious Studies in Quezon City from 2004 to 2005, as director of the Postulancy and Aspirancy of the MJ Formation Community in Quezon City from 2005 to 2006, as professor at the Inter-Congregational Theological Centre in Quezon City from 2005 to 2021, as a member of the Matrimonial Tribunal of the Diocese of Novaliches, as visiting professor at Saint Alphonsus Theological Mission Seminary in Davao City from 2006 to 2007, as a member of the Matrimonial Tribunal of the Diocese of Antipolo from 2006 to 2009, as secretary general ad interim of the MJ Generalate in Antipolo City from 2007 to 2009, as counsellor general of the Missionaries of Jesus from 2009 to 2015, as secretary general from 2009 to 2021, as rector of the MJ Scholasticate in Antipolo City from 2010 to 2020, as professor at the Recoletos School of Theology from 2011 to 2020, at the Institute of Consecrated Life in Asia in 2012, and at the Maryhill School of Theology in 2013, as vicar general from 2015 to 2021, as a member of the General Finance Committee from 2015 to 2021, and as coordinator general from 2021. He co-founded the Missionaries of Jesus in 2002, one of its 41 founding members, and is a member of the Catholic Theological Society of the Philippines and the Canon Law Society of the Americas. He held no prior episcopal tenure; he was appointed Bishop of Gumaca straight from the MJ coordinator-generalship.

Pope Francis appointed him Bishop of Gumaca on September 30, 2024. He was ordained bishop on December 28, 2024, at the Antipolo Cathedral, the International Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, by Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, with Archbishop Jose Palma of Cebu and Bishop Ruperto Santos of Antipolo as co-consecrators, and Apostolic Nuncio Charles Brown witnessing. He was installed on January 4, 2025, at the Cathedral of San Diego de Alcala in Gumaca, as the diocese's fourth bishop, by Brown and Archbishop Gilbert Garcera of Lipa, with Cardinal Jose Advincula as homilist and 15 other bishops present, including retired Emilio Marquez of Lucena, Gumaca's first bishop. The diocese had been vacant for nearly two years since the death of Victor Ocampo in March 2023, overseen by Fr. Ramon Uriarte as diocesan administrator.