Dennis Cabanada Villarojo was born on April 18, 1967, in Cebu City, Philippines. He completed his secondary education at Colegio de San Jose–Recoletos (now University of San Jose–Recoletos), graduating as salutatorian in 1984. He then entered San Carlos Seminary in Cebu for his philosophical studies and went on to the University of Santo Tomas in Manila to pursue theological formation, earning a licentiate in philosophy.
Villarojo was ordained a deacon by Cardinal Jaime Sin in Manila in 1993 and became a priest on June 10, 1994, ordained in Cebu City for the Archdiocese of Cebu. He served as personal secretary to Cardinal Ricardo Vidal, then Archbishop of Cebu, from 1994 to 1998. During this period, he also coordinated for the Archdiocesan Pastoral Planning Board. In 2010 he became moderator of the pastoral team at the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish in Barangay Capitol Site, Cebu City.
From 1998 to 2001, Villarojo pursued doctoral studies in philosophy at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, earning his doctorate. Upon his return to the Philippines, he resumed his role as Cardinal Vidal’s secretary until 2010, while continuing his pastoral and administrative work in the archdiocese.
On July 3, 2015, Pope Francis appointed him Auxiliary Bishop of Cebu and Titular Bishop of Gisipa. His episcopal consecration took place on August 10, 2015, at Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, where Archbishop Jose Palma served as principal consecrator, joined by Cardinal Vidal and Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Giuseppe Pinto. During this period, he also served as Secretary‑General of the organizing committee for the 51st International Eucharistic Congress, hosted in Cebu in January 2016.
Pope Francis appointed Villarojo as the fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Malolos on May 14, 2019, following the death of Bishop Jose Oliveros in May 2018. His canonical installation took place on August 21, 2019, at the Malolos Cathedral-Basilica, presided over by Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle and Apostolic Nuncio Gabriele Caccia. Under his leadership, the diocese received a canonical coronation of the Marian image in Santa Maria in February 2020 and diocesan shrine and minor basilica status for the La Purisima Concepcion church in September 2021.