bot cantillado

Fr. Nielo Cantillado born on April 16, 1962, in Sta. Monica, Surigao del Norte, is a seasoned educator, missionary, and religious leader who currently serves as the President of Divine Word College of Legazpi.

With a lifelong commitment to education and formation, he began his academic journey at Sapao Elementary School and Sapao Municipal High School, later pursuing higher education at the University of San Carlos (AB General), Divine Word Seminary in Tagaytay (AB Philosophy and Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology), and earning a Master’s degree in Educational Management from De La Salle University in 2006. His pastoral and missionary work spans the Philippines and abroad, including mission work in Zambia (1989–1992), and pastoral leadership in the Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan.

He served as Parish Priest and Vicar Forane in Calapan, later becoming District Superior and eventually Provincial Councilor, Vice-Provincial, and Provincial Superior of the Philippine Central Province of the Society of the Divine Word from 2002 to 2017. In the field of education, he made significant contributions as Associate Campus Minister and later as College President of Divine Word College of Calapan (2005–2007), where he helped strengthen institutional programs and pastoral formation.

As a respected academic leader, he has served as President of the Bicol Foundation for Higher Education (2017–2019), and continues to sit on its Board since 2020. He is also the current Chairperson for Higher Education of the Bikol Association of Catholic Schools (since 2021), promoting quality Catholic education across the region.

With a firm commitment to educational excellence and mission-oriented leadership, Fr. Cantillado continues to guide institutions in their pursuit of academic integrity, faith-based formation, and community service.