Monsignor Gabriel V. Reyes was born in Kalibo, Aklan on August 3, 1941. His father was the late Congressman Juan M. Reyes of Aklan and his mother was the late Josefa Villaruz of Roxas City. He is the youngest of four brothers. The late Archbishop Gabriel M. Reyes, the first Filipino Archbishop, was his uncle.

He had his elementary schooling in St. Mary’s College and Colegio de la Purisima Conception, both of which are in Roxas City. In 1953, he entered the Our Lady of Guadalupe Minor Seminary in Makati. He had his philosophy and theology in San Carlos Seminary, also in Makati. He studied for a year in the Gregorian University in Rome.

On December 21, 1966, His Eminence, the late Rufino Cardinal Santos ordained him to the priesthood.

His first assignment was to be the secretary of Rufino Cardinal Santos. Then he was assigned as Assistant Parish Priest in the parish of San Juan, with Msgr. Casimiro Alvarez and Msgr. Fabian Luage as parish priests. He was transferred to the parish of Tayuman, Tondo to be the assistant parish priest of Fr. Arsenio Pineda. He became assistant chaplain of Pius XII Center with Very Rev. Fr. Pierangelo Quaranta as chaplain. He became assistant parish priest in San Miguel, Manila under Monsignor Benjamin Mariño, the parish priest.

In 1974, when His Eminence Jaime Cardinal Sin became the Archbishop of Manila, he took him as his secretary. In 1979, he became the parish priest of San Felipe Neri Parish in Mandaluyong.

His Holiness Pope John Paul II appointed him auxiliary bishop of His Eminence Jaime Cardinal Sin and Titular bishop of Selsea, on January 20, 1981.

He was the parish priest of Sta. Clara Parish in Pasay City and was also the District Bishop of Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas and Muntinlupa from 1981-1993. He was the chairman of the Commission on Migration and Tourism of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines from 1983-1995.

He was appointed as Bishop of Kalibo on November 21, 1992 and installed January 12, 1993.

He was the first Spiritual Director of the National Service Committee of the Charismatic Renewal in the Philippines. He was a member of the Permanent Council of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines from 1996-2000.

He was appointed as Bishop of Antipolo on December 7, 2002 and installed January 29, 2003.

At present, he is the Chairman of the Commission on the Lay Apostolate of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.