Severo Caermare

Severo Cagatan Caermare is a Filipino prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the Bishop of the Diocese of Dipolog in the Philippines.

Background

Caermare was born on October 22, 1969, in Sibutad, Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines. He attended Cor Jesu Seminary in Dipolog, Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines and St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Cagayan de Oro. He attained his degree in theology from Cor Jesu Seminary in Dipolog, Philippines.

Ministry

Sacerdotal

Caermare was ordained as priest on April 22, 1996, at Saint Anne Parish in his hometown of Sibutad, Zamboanga del Norte. As priest, Caermare spent most of his pastoral work in parishes. He also lectured in seminaries.

Position	Term of Office	Organization
Administrator	1996–1997	Our Mother of Perpetual Help Parish, Godod, Zamboanga del Norte
	1997–2000	Cor Jesu Seminary, Dipolog
Administrator	2002–2003	Saint Isidore Parish, Gutalac, Zamboanga del Norte
	2003–2004	Saint Mary's Theologate Seminary, Ozamiz City
	2004–2006	Cor Jesu Seminary, Dipolog
	2006–2007	Saint Mary's Theologate Seminary, Ozamiz City
	2007–2013	Saint Mary's Theologate Seminary, Ozamiz City
Parish Administrator	2013–2014	San Antonio de Padua Parish, Gulayon, Dipolog

Episcopal

appointed Caermare to be the 3rd Bishop of the Diocese of Dipolog on July 25, 2014, and was ordained on October 30, 2014, in the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary in Dipolog with Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Giuseppe Pinto as the Principal Consecrator, Bishop Jose Cabantan of Diocese of Malaybalay and Bishop Emeritus Jose Manguiran of Dipolog as Principal Co-Consecrators. Because of this, Caermare became the first bishop from the Diocese of Dipolog where he was ordained.
On December 6, 2017, after the passing of Iligan bishop Elenito Galido, Pope Francis appointed Caermare as Apostolic Administrator for the Diocese of Iligan until September 5, 2019, after the appointment of Bishop Jose Rapadas III.
Caermare assumed the two-year term chairmanship of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines – Episcopal Commission on the Laity from December 15, 2023 succeeding the late Bishop Enrique Macaraeg Tarlac.
Caermare and his hundred priests of the Diocese of Dipolog said that "a people’s initiative not coming from the people and without prior consultation may only end up favoring a few interests." He echoes Broderick Pabillo's call: "reject the ongoing signature campaign pushing for charter change through a people's initiative xxx the campaign offers money in exchange for their signatures."