cable tow - grandlodge.ph · exercised tolerance, respect, patience and brotherly love. it is more...

VOL 95 - 4 CABLE TOW | 1

TheCable TowVOL. 95 FORTH ISSUE, FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL 2019

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MOST WORSHIPFUL GRAND LODGE OF FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF THE PHILIPPINES

MW ROMEO S. MOMO Grand Master

and HON. EDISON ABELLA

SCOD Grand Master

2 | CABLE TOW VOL 95 - 4


CABLE TOWVR SAMUEL P. FERNANDEZ

Editor in Chief(0933-081-0816)

VW VLADIMIR F. PELAEZAssistant Editor in Chief

(0936-9921511)

VW ROMEO S. MUSNGIAssistant Editor for Filipino

(0949-9988117)

VW JOSE A. RONCESVALLESCirculation Manager

(0918-9916012)

VW CHARLES G. AGARGrand Lodge Photographer

(0910-3510394)

JESUSANA S. ESCOBIA(0923-6041022)

Secretary

04 Editorial - Truth 06 Grand Master Message 10 Truth 12 Know the Truth13 Pintong Bato History

19 Aguinaldo, President of the First Republic 25 Pampanga Lodge History 40 History of Charleston Lodge No. 44, F&AM 42 Freemasonry and Philippine Independent Church 51 Four Generation of Malolos Masons 54 What is Freemasonry? 59 Masonry in Zamboanga 77 Pitak Filipino 79 Constitutions of Blue Lodges 87 Joint Venture Tzu Chi and GLOS 89 GM Romeo S. Momo & the Order of DeMolay 91 General Grand Chapter Order of the Eastern Star 95 Visit to Overseas Lodges & Foreign Grand Jurisdiction 96 Building Administration 98 GM’s Masonic Activities


VR Samuel P. Fernandez

Editorial

TRUTHTruth Theplaindefinitionoftrutheitheroverstressesfactualtruthoroverstressesthemetaphysical.

Fora satisfactorydefinitionof truth,onemust consider threeaspectsandelementsoftruth,namely:Factualtruth,Logicaltruth,andOntologicalandmetaphysical.

1. Factualtruthmustfitthefactsoflifeandexistence.As Webster’s Dictionary defines it, truth is “con-formingto factorreality;exactaccordancewith isorhasbeen,orshallbe.”Themeanspropositionalcorrespondencetoreality.

2. Logicaltruthapplylogicanddenyrevelation.Log-icalpositivistsstressmeaningfullogicalexpressionthatisempiricallyverifiable.Theydenymetaphys-icalandmoraltruthsinceitcannotbescientificallyexaminedlikematerialphenomena.

Logic is a branch of philosophy “dealing with theprinciplesofreasoningandinference.”(WorldBookDictionary).AsphilosophersJohnStuartMillsputsit:“LogicisnotthescienceofBelief,butthescienceofProof,orEvidence.”

3. Ontologicalormetaphysicaltruthexpressestheulti-materelationshipoftruthandthenatureaswellastherelationshipofreligious,socialandmoraltruthinparticular.ReligiousandmoraltruthiswhatGod


is.“ScientifictruthiswhatGodwillsandisalsoinconsistentwithHischaracter.”(WycliffeBibleEncy-clopedia)

Ontologyisthebranchofphilosophythatdealswiththenatureofreality.

Metaphysicsisabranchofphilosophythattriestoexplainrealityandknowledge. It isastudywhichincludes epistemology (the theory of knowledge),cosmology(thetheoryoftheuniverseanditslaws),andontology.

InMasonry, thereare threeprincipal tenets: BrotherlyLove,ReliefandTruth.

ToMasons, “Truth is a divine attribute and the foundation ofeveryvirtue. TobegoodandtrueisthefirstlessonwearetaughtinMasonry.Onthisthemewecontemplate;andbyitsdictatesendeavortoregulateourconduct.Hence,whileinfluencedbythisprinciple,hy-pocrisyanddeceitareunknownamongus;sincerityandplaindealingdistinguishus;andwithheartandtongue,wejoininpromotingeachother’swelfareandrejoicingineachother’sprosperity.”(CaliforniaCi-pher)

IntheEnteredApprenticeMasonicdegree,wehavethisprayer:“VouchsafeThineaid,AlmightyFatheroftheUniverse,tothisourpres-ent convention, and grant that this candidate for Freemasonry maydedicateanddevotehislifetoThyservice,andbecomeatrueandfaith-fulbrotheramongus.EnduehimwithacompetencyofThyDivineWis-dom,that,bythe influenceofthepureprinciplesofFreemasonry,hemaythebetterbeenabledtodisplaythebeau-tiesofholiness,tothehonorofThyholyname.Amen.

FromtheHolyWrit,wehavethefollowing:

“IntothinehandIcommitmyspirit:thouhasredeemed me, O Lord God of truth.” (Psalm31:5,KingJamesVersion)


MESSAGE

MW ROMEO S. MOMOGrand Master

MessageMy beloved brethren: On this fourth and last issue of the Cabletow during our ad-ministration, I will take the opportunity to make a short report, to thank you for all your support and cooperation, and on the latter part of it, you will find this message taking the nature of an editorial.

In a few weeks’ time, I shall be stepping down as your Grand Master. If you were to ask how can I best describe my stint, it is rath-er bitter-sweet. Bitter because I failed to fix the numerous differences among our brothers. There are many cases that reached the Grand Lodge, and I would prefer to have them settled amicably instead of imposing penalty on a brother, save of course to cases of serious nature which rightly calls for justice thru penalty. What pains me, however, are those which could have been avoided had the brethren exercised tolerance, respect, patience and brotherly love. It is more poignant because our theme is supposedly focused on harmony and brotherly love. Be that as it may, I still believe time will come that harmony and brotherly love shall prevail in our hearts. As they say, time heals. In this regard, I urge you, my brethren, to be the cata-lyst of harmonious relationship amongst us. Be the vessel of peace and of concord, instead of becoming the spark plug of division and


Message hatred. Be a just and upright Mason by mending broken relation-ships, fostering genuine friendship, and strengthening that mystic tie which binds us as brothers.

Sweet because the projects we have undertaken were all ac-complished, and that is because of your help, my brethren. Both the tree planting and support for public school activities were consider-ably successful; the IMES had numerous graduates and active class-es up to this month; the position of Office Administrative Manager was made permanent so that the new Grand Master can rely on the words, experience, and knowledge of a brother Mason, especially on the day-to-day GLP transactions. The E-GLP is now fully function-al, this is otherwise known as the Information and Communication Technology Program.

Further, we now have the Part 3 of The Brethren, a continua-tion of the works of MW Fajardo, highlighting on the role of Masons in nation building. This covers the period from 1946 to the present. The book is entitled “The Brethren – Book 3, The Craft Under the Republic, 1946-2018”. Aside from having a good reading Masonic material, the book will serve as our inspiration to aspire for greater good and to do our own humble share for our country.

We undertook the beautification and improvement of GLP premises, inside and out. I hope you have observed the improve-ments. We also had a successful GLP Anniversary celebration, cou-pled with the recognition of brothers-achievers in the government service and of course, of our pillars, our Past Grand Masters.

We had our TV Documentary entitled “Freemasonry: A Con-tinuing Legacy of Brotherhood and Service”. Notably, after this doc-umentary was shown in ANC, the number of petitioners knocking at our doors and desirous of becoming one of us increased. Marami ang nagsabi, they were enlightened. Sana napanood nyo ito mga Kapatid.

In all of these undertakings, wala pong ginastos ang Grand Lodge. Lahat ito ay galing sa mabubuting loob na mga Mason, na nais lamang makatulong tungo sa ikagaganda ng Grand Lodge at ikabubuti ng Kapatiran.


Among other edicts that I have issued, one may interest all the Past Masters. I refer to Edict No. 322, allowing the Past Masters, as members of the MW Grand Lodge of the Philippines, to take an active part again, in all the deliberations in District and Multi-Dis-trict Conventions, and in Special and Annual Communications. As I have promised you during the last AnCom, at the Convention of the Grand Guild of Past Masters, the voice of the Past Masters shall be heard, your experiences considered, and your wisdom, taken into consideration. You are a member of the Grand Lodge, and hence you must act and serve as one.

As your outgoing Grand Master, I would like to pose two challenges for you to ponder and act upon my brethren.

First is to re-echo the message of MW Reynato Puno. He said that Philippine Freemasonry is now faced with two adversities, first is the ignorance of non-masons towards Masonry; second and most alarming, is the ignorance of Masons towards their very own frater-nity. I expect you, my brethren, to continue addressing the second so that altogether, we can effectively answer the first.

Second is this statement of our Ill. Brother Albert Pike. He said - “Wherever Freemasonry flourishes, there will be found the highest type of citizenship and the best standard of living”. If we are to take as examples countries where Freemasonry flourished and is flourishing such as England, France, Spain, or the United States, Ill. Pike might be correct in his observation. But how about here in our country, in our beloved Philippines? As to whether we have the highest type of citizenship, some may agree, some may dissent; but this I am sure – our deep history of struggle for freedom and in-dependence, fought mostly by brother Masons who sacrificed their liberty and even their own lives, shall bear us out in claiming that the type of citizenship we have should be one of the highest. Ours was hard-earned, hard-fought, forged by hardships and trials, and tested by time.

As to the standard of living, however, I submit that we do not have the best. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, one in 20 children aged 5 to 17 is working, one of every eight Filipinos 6


to 24 years old is an out of school youth, Filipino families are most deprived of education, and many other poverty indicators. Just look around you, on your way here, how many street children have you seen begging for alms? How many depressed communities have you observed existing? Which brings me to this question - If we do not have the best standard of living, does this mean Freemasonry is not flourishing in the Philippines? I don’t think so. Freemasonry has ex-isted in our country since 1856, our Grand Lodge has been there since 1912, we are now 22 thousand strong active members. Undoubted-ly, Freemasonry is flourishing in the Philippines. Or could it be that Freemasonry flourishes yet the Masons are not doing enough? Are we not being up to the task? Are we neglecting our duty? We may be so complacent in our own sphere that we tend to forget our fel-lowmen, we tend to forget the needs of others, we tend to forget that as Masons, we have an obligation to assist.

On the other hand, baka nga kulang pa ang mga Mason sa Pilipinas. Probably, we need more Masons in the government, in the executive, in the legislative, in the judiciary, in law enforcement; probably, we need more Masons in the private sector; probably, we need more Masons to take care of our environment; probably we need more Masons to take care of our education system; probably, we need more Masons to attend to our economic situation. Yes, probably…... but more importantly, we probably need more Mason-ry among us Masons.

And so I go back to the second part of our theme – Freema-sonry makes good men better, for a better society. These “better men” must do something for the Filipino people to make their lives better. That better man is you, my brother. Masons and Freema-sonry since time immemorial have been the catalyst for change, for improvement of lives, for freedom, and for human progress. Indi-vidually and collectively as a noble institution, let us do our active share.

Thank you once again. Mabuhay!


VW Jesse D. Alto

TRUTH

Truth is a word oftenusedasbackboneinassertingac-curacy seemingly superior thanothers. Truth is often use in ex-pounding natural, moral, andspirituallaws,includingtheman-made laws of the land. Truth isdefinedasthebodyofrealthings,facts,constancy,sincerity,astateof being the case. Truth is theeternal essence of seen and un-seenoftheuniverse.ThereveredAncient Indian sage of Yogaphi-losophy,Patanjali said that truthis the principle which gives lifethat dwells in us, undying andeternallybeneficent.Itisalsotherules that governed the natural,moral,andspirituallaws.

HolyBookmentionedthatin the beginning was the word,thewordwaswithGod, and theword is God. Godmust have ut-teredthewordtostarttheworld-lymanifestationandHeisinthatwholeunfoldingprocessofmani-festation.Thedegreeofmanifes-tationbegins from the joiningof

positive,negative,andcontrollingcentral will power of motion orenergies(fromanatom,mineral,plant, animal, andman onward)whichevolve in thephysical, theemotional, and the mental fac-ulties of the consciousness ofthe evolving being and the ap-pearances of planets, suns, solarsystems, universes all expressesfromONEDivineWill.Timeisthedegreeof the limitationofmani-festation from atoms to univers-es.Therearethreetrillionofuni-versesknownanddiscoveredbyscience.Spaceandmotionarethetwinprinciplesthatgovernedtheseenandunseenworlds.

Tounderstanditweshouldrecall the well-known Easternphilosophy according to whichthe Universe, both seen and un-seen,isamanifestationofaDivineRealityorWillwhichabidewith-initandistheultimatecauseandsourceofallthattakesplaceinitintermsoftimeandspace.Itsex-istenceintheUniversemanifestsin two fundamentalways. In the


firstplace,itconstitutesthetruthor theveryessenceofall things.Inthesecondplace,itdeterminestheorderedcourseofthingsbothintheirmaterial,moralandspiri-tualaspects.Theyareinseparableand together constitute the veryfoundationofthemanifesteduni-verse.

TheMan’sactionandman-made laws that contradict thenatural laws, morals, and spiri-tual lawswill results to harmfuleffects causing sufferings andpain tohumanity.Tounfoldwis-dom,manshouldexerteffortstoeliminate ignorance and pushedforrightknowledgethroughrighteducation, experiences and ac-tion. The masonic rituals, work-ing tools, and teachingshelp thebrethren understand the eternalprinciples and laws that governthe whole process of manifesta-tion

In the application of thetruth principle, our illustriousmasonicbrothersduringthefirstone hundred years of its exis-

tenceinthePhilippinespromotededucation, fairness, justice, andequalityintheapplicationofmor-al laws of the land regardless ofman’sraceandcolor.Theireffortsseeking truthand justice evenatthe cost of their lives. They un-derstandtheeffortsareneededtofreehumanityfromthelimitationsimposebythematerial,emotion-alandmentalvehiclesandattainspiritual perfection. To summa-rize truth, there is a SupremeBeing that govern the compassmanifestationoftheuniverse,andallwithin itsmanifestation isex-pressunityindiversity.Thelightsofwill,wisdom,andlawsaretheinnumerablesquareexpressionofthat manifestation. The materialexpression is perceived in evolv-ing harmony of substances inthefieldofmanifestationvaryingaccording to the unfolding con-sciousnessofbeings fromatoms,minerals,plant,animalsandman.Man,whoisaseekeroftruthandthroughhisworkingtoolsiscon-scious of this development andgrowth.

“Then ‘twill not matter thou forgettest me!Through thy clear space and o’er thy vale I’ll sweep!

A vibrant, limpid note to thine ear I will be;Fragrance, light, color, song, lament, and plea,

Ever repeating the faith that with thee I keep!”- Jose Rizal


“He who enters this Temple leaves behind all his worldly possessions, titles and status; and for laboring on the level, he will be recognized and henceforth be duly introduced as a plain brother for all and all seasons.” -UnknownBrother

The above quote summa-rizes the path to true happinessin Masonry. For as long as thebrother leaves behind both hissuccessesand insecurities in theoutsidewallsoflifebeforeheen-ters into the mystic fellowshipsof our Craft; and for as long helaborssincerelyandnotforfame:he will be known as a true andtrustybrotherwhichisourstan-dard(plain)ofaworthyMason.

On theprinciple ofTruth,hypocrisy and deceit are sup-posed to be unknown amongstus. Sincerity and plain dealingare supposed to be our distinctcharacter. With heart (acts) andtongue(words),wearesupposedto promote each other’s welfareand rejoice in eachother’s pros-perity (progress). However, onthe contrary nowadays, trivialmatters are being fought in theguiseofprinciples:titlesandpo-sitions are aggressively beingpursued; andpompandglory in

ceremonies and projects are be-ing favored instead of simplicityandeffectivenessinsuchendeav-ors. Envy and hatred prevail asaccomplishments of others areviewed as “competition” insteadof moments to thank the GreatArchitect of the Universe for theblessingstothebrethren.

Our Craft was previouslyknown as the bastion of virtueswhereweservedasthelonevoicein the wilderness. When monar-chialgovernmentswerethenorm,webroughtforthdemocraticgov-ernance. When education wasfor theprivileged,we introducedpubliceducation.Whenmarriagewas purely deemed as religious,we fortified it with contractualmaritalrights.Sadtoadmit,mate-rialismandearthlypleasureshavecrept into our fraternity and wenowabidebytheworldinsteadofsettingthetrends.

We often hear brethrenaspiringforpositionsstatingthattheir advancements or those oftheirminionsare “longoverdue”.Issincereservicetobrothersandmankindsubjecttotimeperiods?Canwe not servewithout titles?HavingservedseveralGrandMas-ters in thepast, I often tell them

KNOW THE TRUTHby VW Vic Yu


the old adage, “be careful what you wish for, for you may get it”.As always, there is amoment ofsilencewhenever I remind themof such wisdom and they recallthe trials and tribulations expe-rienced during their respectivestaysattheGrandEast.

The darkness in othersteach usmuch of our owndark-ness.Unlesswepierceourveilstofullyfacethedarknesswithinus,we can never be happy.Wemayenjoy the adulation accorded bythebrethrenbutduringthetimeswhenwearebyourlonesome,wefeelmiserablyunfulfilled.Worse,

wepretendtoserveandyetcon-tinue to seek applause even iftheyarefrompretenderswhoareeverreadytodropyouoffattheirconvenience.

As per the eminent psy-chologist, Carl Jung, “Your vision will become clear only when you can look at your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakes”. Let us Awak-en, my dear Brethren! Togeth-er Brethren, let us Bridge MenthroughBrotherlyLoveandHar-mony.LetusmakeBetterMenforBetterSociety.

A BRIEF HISTORYPINTONG BATO LODGE NO. 51

by WB Chito Umali

WeFilipinosloveourcountry.

WeBacooriansloveourcoun-try,ourtownandourcommunity.It is this love of community thatin 1918 fourteen (14) BacoorianFreemasons from three (3) dif-ferentMasonicLodges conceivedthe ideaofestablishingaregularLodgeinthemunicipalityofBaco-or.ThesepioneeringFreemasonsare:

1. JulianCruzBalmacedaMagdaloLodgeNo.31

2. MarceloF.CuencaMagdaloLodgeNo.31

3. FranciscoR.GaudierMagdaloLodgeNo.31

4. PioR.GaudierMagdaloLodgeNo.31

5. HiginodeGuiaNoliMeTangereLodgeNo.42

6. AngelC.LazaroMagdaloLodgeNo.31

7. PedroNorielMagdaloLodgeNo.31


8. SeveroOcampoPilarLodgeNo.15

9. FranciscoL.PagtakhanMagdaloLodgeNo.31

10.SimonN.ReyesMagdaloLodgeNo.31

11.RudinoSanMiguelPilarLodgeNo.15

12.HiginoM.SarinoMagdaloLodgeNo.31

13.PedroM.SarinoMagdaloLodgeNo.31

14.BenitoTorrenoMagdaloLodgeNo.31

Under the leadership of Bro.Julian Cruz Balmaceda, theyworkedveryhardtomeetalltherequirementsoftheGrandLodgeforDispensation.ThepetitionforDispensation was presented toGrandMasterManuel L. Quezonwho later became the PresidentofthePhilippines.

ACharterwasissuedonJanu-ary28,1919bytheGrandLodge.

Pintong Bato Lodge No. 51wasdulyconstitutedasaregularlodge under the jurisdiction oftheMostWorshipfulGrandLodgeofthePhilippineIslandsbyMostWorshipful Bro. Milton EarleSpringeronFebruary15,1919.

A special Communication oftheGrandLodgewasheldat theHall of Pintong Bato Lodge No.51 on February 15, 1919where

the following brethren were in-stalled:

Bro.JulianC.Balmaceda WorshipfulMasterBro.FranciscoR.Gaudier SeniorWardenBro.PedroM.Sarino JuniorWardenBro.HiginoM.Sarino TreasurerBro.SeveroOcampo SecretaryBro.HiginodeGuia ChaplainBro.PedroNoriel SeniorDeaconBro.AngelC.Lazaro JuniorDeaconBro.FranciscoL.Pagtakhan SeniorStewardBro.SimonN.Reyes JuniorSteward

ManyBacoorianssoonjoinedthe craft followed by other resi-dentsfromnearbytowns. ThesePintong Bato brethren played amajor role in spreadingMasoniclightinmanypartsifthecountry.Their conferral teamwere invit-edbyother lodges. TheyhelpedinorganizingMasoniclodges.Tomentionafew:LabongLodgeNo.59 Malabon,Rizal


MuogLodgeNo.89 Parañaque,RizalBataanLodgeNo.104 Bataan

Degree work was in SpanishorEnglish.Lateron,useofTaga-loginritualswasadoptedinsomeinstances.WBJulianC.Balmace-dawasinstrumentalinintroduc-ingtheuseofTagalogintheritu-alsoftheGrandLodge.

OUR NAME – PINTONG BATO

PintongBatoisaplaceinBa-rangaySanNicolasontheEasternpart of Bacoor. It has historicalprominencebecauseofthemanybattles fought there in 1896 be-tween Filipino Revolutionaryforces and the Spanish Army. Itserved as a supply line to bringfood and ammunition from Ma-nila to the Filipino soldiers en-campedWestofZapoteRiver.

The founders chose PintongBatobecauseofitshistoricprom-inence and because its soundseemstosuggesttoMasonssome-thingwhichrelatedtotheTempleofTruthandVirtue.

WORLD WAR II

WorldWarIIputatemporarystoptotheactivitiesoftheLodge.Japanese troops occupied theLodge and later on tore it downcarting away the lumber and GI

materials.

As a six-year old boy, I sawthis.

EDICT NO. 232A

On September 11, 2006,GrandMasterRomeoA.YuissuedEdict No. 232-A declaring as Ir-regularandClandestinetheInde-pendentGrandLodgeofFreeandAccepted Masons of the Philip-pineIslandsandall itsmembersas Clandestine Masons. Severalmembers of Pintong Bato LodgeNo.51areincludedinthisEdict.

Early in June2007,adaybe-fore the statedmeeting, thePin-tongBatoLodgebuildingwastak-enoverbytheclandestinegroup.With only 24 hours left beforethestatedmeeting,aspecialdis-pensation from theGrandLodgeauthorized Worshipful MasterAmbrosioUmalitoholdtheJune2007 statedmeeting at his resi-denceatNo.1EvangelistaStreet,Poblacion, Bacoor, Cavite. ThesucceedingstatedmeetingswereheldatthetemporarylodgeofPi-larLodgeNo.15inImus,Cavite.

Throughtheherculeaneffortsof the succeeding WorshipfulMasters and thebrethren ledbyPDDGM VW Erwin A. Punzalan,we now have a beautiful Lodgebuildingwith a big fenced park-inglot.Theuseofthelotandthe


buildingiscomplimentofBro.Ar-thurSantosonGRATIStillanewhomeisfound.

MAYORS OF BACOOR

ServicetoHumanityisinher-enttoFreemasons.EightPintongBatoMasonswhoservedthepeo-pleofBacoorbybeingtownmay-orsare:

SimonN.Reyes 1919to1922

FranciscoR.Gaudier 1924to1928

FranciscoL.Pagtakhan 1934to1940

GenerosoR.Sarino 1944;1946to1947

BenignoA.Guinto 1952;1954to1960; 1963to1967

BuencaminoM.Cruz 1988to1991

VictorR.Miranda 1992to1995;1995to1997

JessieB.Castillo 1998to2007

OUTSTANDING SONS OF BACOOR

Masons from Pintong BatoLodgeNo. 51who distinguishedthemselves in government ser-vice through dedicated excellentservicewithhighintegrity.

1. PGMPedroM.Gimenez

• Grand Master,GrandLodgeofthePhilippines–1963

• Auditor General,General AuditingOffice(NowC.O.A.)

2. WB Eduardo T. Malinis –GoldenAnniversary,1969WorshipfulMaster

• Commissioner, In-surance Commis-sion of the Philip-pines,

Longest servingInsuranceCommis-sioner who servedunder five Presi-dentsofthePhilip-pines.

3. Bro.EduardoB.Libid

• Ambassador, writ-er

THE PRESENT, THE FUTURE

PintongBatoLodgeNo.51 isverymuchalive.Itsstatedmeet-ings are well attended with vi-brantdiscussions.ItparticipatesinDistrictandGrandLodgeactiv-ities.Ithasmanycommunityre-latedprojects.

Pintong Bato Lodge No. 51looks forward to another goodcentury.


CENTENNIAL FOUNDING ANNIVERSARY

February19,2019–4:00PM

The celebration was held atthe Strike Gymnasium at Moli-no Boulevard, Bacoor City withBro. Senator JuanEdgardo “Son-

ny”Angaraashonoredguestandspeaker.

Close to 300 people, mostlyFreemasons from Pintong BatoandCaviteEastDistrictattendedthe affair which lasted till mid-night. Everybody had fun. Fel-lowshipGalore!

The Centennial officers and brethren

WB Chito Umali gives a brief history of Pintong

Bato Lodge No. 51

Guest Honor Bro. Senator Sonny Angara inspires the brethren with

his message


Centennial Worshipful Master Michael James M.

Villacruzes

Our First Worshipful Master, Right Worshipful Bro. Julian

Cruz Balmaceda

A happy Bro. Sen. Sonny Angara re-ceives from Bro. Alvin Hipolito his own

painting of working tools as PDDGM VW Erwin Punzalan looks on.

Guest Honor Bro. Sen. Sonny Angara with DDGM VW Raul Canon and DGL VW Peter Irwing Corvera and Bro. Chappy

Umali of Pintong Bato

SW Roger R. Dianco, WM Michael James Villacruzes, IPM Jayson Calinap, and JW Jeffrey Sacramento


EMILIO AGUINALDO: PRESIDENT OF THE FIRST PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC

VR Samuel P. Fernandez

President Aguinaldo sawtheLightofMasonryon January1, 1895 at Pilar Lodge No. 203,Imus,Cavite.HewasthefounderofMagdaloTriangulo.

Magdalo Triangulo wasissued a charter on December21,1914byPastRegionalGrandMaster SantiagoBarcelona, headof the Commission of Gran Ori-ente Espanol. It later becameMagdalo No. 371, ofwhich Bro/GenAguinaldowasthefirstWor-shipfulMasteroftheLodge.

In February 1917, Mag-dalo Lodge 371 received a newcharter as Magdalo 31, and wasconstitutedonFebruary14,1917assubordinatelodgeoftheGrandLodgeofthePhilippineIslands.

OnOctober6,1926,Mag-dalo was named Ibarra Lodge,an important character in JoseRizal’snovel,NoliMeTangere.

In1941, IbarraLodgeNo.31wasforcedtoclose.

On June 13, 1964, the

membersof IbarraLodgeNo. 31unanimouslypassed a resolutionasking the Grand Lodge for anauthority to change the name oftheirLodgetoAguinaldoMemori-alLodge. OnJuly1,1964,GrandMaster Charles Mosebrook in-formed themembers thathehasauthorizedthechangeofnameasrequested.

On February 16, 1917,President Aguinaldo petitionedfordegreesinthePhilippineBod-ies, A.&A.S.R. Among the peti-tionerswithhimwereDonFelipeBuencamino, Jr., Thomas Earn-shaw, Michael Goldenberg, Man-uelX.Burgos, IsveroG.GabaldonandTeodoroR.Yangco.ManuelL.Quezonpresided the32nd degreeMBS, assistedbyWWMarquardtas Lt. Commander and H. Law-renceNobleas2ndLt.Commander.

President Aguinaldo wascoroneteda33rddegreeInspectorGeneralHonorarybytheSupremeCouncil33rdoftheRepublicofthePhilippinesonFeb.12,1955.

(Speech delivered at the Installation of WB Jessie D. Garcia and 2019 Of-ficers of Juan Sumulong Masonic Lodge #169, March 23, 2019 at Plaridel Masonic Temple)


President Aguinaldo wasatoweringandpowerfulfigureofthePhilippineRevolution.Heledthe Filipino people in their warfor liberation against Spain andtheUnitedStates.

Most Worshipful CamiloOsias(GM1955)noted:

“The revolutionary lead-erwas born onMarch22, 1869.He inherited the sturdy quali-ties from his parents of Kawit,Cavite. He matured at an earlyagebecauseofthedeathofhisfa-thercompellinghimtoengageinfarming,inbusiness,andinteach-ing. Asayoungman,hebecameCapitan Municipal of his nativetownandataboutthesametimehe joined theKatipunan and theMasonicFraternity.

“His love of freedom wasintense. ItwasthissacredcausethatmotivatedGeneralAguinaldoto leadmen in the country’s ho-locaust who sacrificed fortunesandtheirlives,men‘whoinordertomaintainourownsovereigntyhaveconfrontedalltheprivationsimaginable, living months aftermonthswithout rest and shelterinunhealthyforestsandinhospi-tablemountainswithout food attimes,and for themanydaysex-cept leaves of trees and roots ofplants, pursuedby certain deathat every turn, decimated by the

bulletsof themuch superior en-emy,beneaththeinclemenciesofourtropics,sustaininganunevenstrugglewithnohopeof recom-penseexceptthethoughtofdutydone…’

“Necessity developed inAguinaldo a sense of responsi-bility, capacity to get alongwithpeople, andwhat latermanifest-ed into a genius to plan and or-ganize. His having had to be afarmermade him love the greatout-of-doors and the famingclass. Suchexperiencegavehimstrength of physique and abili-ty toearnsustenanceofselfandcompanions under trying condi-tions. It is nothing short ofmi-raculousthathewasablelatertoleadanarmyofgenerals,officers,andsoldierswhohad tomeet inyears of warfare Spanish forcesand then American forces. Histeachingexperiencelaidthefoun-dationforhisabilityandsuccesstoplan,toorganize,andtolead.”

MostWorshipful ConradoBenitez (GM 1936) remarked inhismessage,thus:

“History records that theRevolution he led was the firstsuccessful colonial uprising inAsia;andthePhilippineRepublicthatwasitsclimax,thoughshort-lived, was the first democraticand representative government


establishedintheregion.

“The Masons in the Phil-ippine jurisdiction, if not in theentireMasonicworld, take justi-fiablepride thatBrother “Colon”ledtheFilipinopeopleinconsum-matingtheLibertarianMovementinitiatedattheturnofthecentu-rybyourFraternalBrethren,JoseRizal, Marcelo H. del Pilar, Gra-cianoLopezJaena,GregorioAgli-pay,ApolinarioMabini,andtheircolleagues of the era; until thesecond stage of the ‘continuingrevolution’ achieved the estab-lishmentof theSecondRepublic,July4,1946,throughthelaborsofour illustrious Brethren ManuelL. Quezon Rafael Palma, IgnacioVillamor, TeodoroM. Kalaw, andJoseAbadSantos,amongothers.

“The Philippine Libertari-anMovement, initiatedbyFilipi-

no Masons, became the precur-sorofsimilarmovementsamongcolonialcountriesinAsia.Anditwas not an accident that in thisinstance, theMasons lead in thepursuitofenlightenmentagainstignorantism, libertyagainstslav-ery, and freedom against blindobedience.”

Bro. EstebanA. deOcam-po,anacademicscholarand for-merChairmanNationalHistoricalCommission, recognized Pres-ident Aguinaldo’s contributionto our libertarian struggle. Hewrote:

“No one can successful-lydispute thehistorical fact thatfromhiselectionasPresidentoftheRevolutionarygovernmentinthe Tejeros Convention (March22,1897) tohiscapture inPala-nan, Isabela (March 23, 1901),Gen.Aguinaldoplayedtheleadingrole in our struggle for freedomand independence first againstSpanish sovereignty and lateragainst the American conquestofourcountry. Hewasnotonlythe Commander-in-Chief of thearmed forces but he also servedsuccessfully as President of thefirst Revolutionary Government(March22toNov.1,1897),Presi-dentoftheBiyak-na-BatoRepub-lic (Nov.1-15, 1897), Dictator ofthe Philippines (May 24 – June23, 1898), President of the Sec-


ond Revolutionary Government(June 23, 1898 - Jan 23, 1899),and President of the PhilippineRepublic (Jan 23, 1899 - March23, 1901),whichwas inaugurat-edinMalolos,Bulacan.

“TheGeneral’s exploits inthe battlefields became almostlegendaryanditwashisbrilliantvictories over the Spanish armsthat led thedelegatespresent atthe Tejeros Convention to electhimPresident of the PhilippinesinpreferencetoSupremoAndresBonifacio.Itshouldbenotedthatinthatelection,presidedoverbyBonifaciohimself,Aguinaldowasvotedpresidentin absentia.”

Prof. Gabriel Fabella, an-otheracademicscholar,listedtheimportantachievementsofPresi-dentAguinaldothus:

1.AguinaldowasthefirstFilipinoto make the world conscious oftheexistenceofthePhilippinesbyleading two revolutions againstSpain,andawarofdefenseoftheFilipinos’ newly established Re-publicagainsttheUnitedStates;

2.HehelpedtoweldtheFilipinosintoanationthroughdeedsrath-erthanbypenorwords;

3.Hewasthefirsttodemonstratethat aFilipino is capableof run-ninganorderlygovernmentofhisownmaking;

4.He set an exampleofhonesty,integrity and incorruptibility inthegovernmentservice;

5.HelefthappymemoriesoftheFirstandSecondRepublicsofthePhilippines;andfinally,

6.Hebequeathedpermanentleg-aciestoourpeople:

a.APhilippineIndependenceDay,

b.AFilipinoflag,and

c.ANationalanthem.

(Gabriel F. Fabella, The Role of Aguinaldo in History,1966,p.5)

Most Worshipful ManuelM. Crudo, in his Aguinaldo Cen-tennialmessage,said:

“In this era of confusion,disunity, and division, when thewhole world is undergoing atremendous change through vi-


olence, strikes, and revolution, itisexhilaratingtomakeapilgrim-agetothegloriouspastandmakecomparisonandcontrast.

“The dreadful truths ofyesterdaywhichtriedtostraight-enupthecrookedstatusquoarenow accepted as the pleasingtruths.

“Yesterday,BrotherGener-alEmilioAguinaldoandtherestofournationalleadersworkedhard,fought hard, and dedicated theirallforthewelfareofourcountry.

“Nowadays, many of ournational leaders pay lip servicetopatriotism.Theyevensellourcountrydowntheriverbygivingthemselves fantastic allowancesfrom the people’s money whilethe people exist in hunger andpoverty.Manyofourleaderscon-sidertheirpositionsnotasapub-lic trust but ameans to enhancethemselvesintopowerbyenrich-ingthemselvestothedetrimentofourpeople.”

Bro.JusticeGeorgeA.Mal-colm, commentedonAguinaldo’saccomplishments,thus:

“Analyses of the characterofAguinaldoareascontradictoryastheyarenumerous. Therearethose who would deify him intosomethingmorethanhuman.Thesoldier who captured himwrote

that ‘He is amanofmanyexcel-lent qualities, far and away thebest Filipino I everwas broughtin contact with.’ On the otherhand,therearethosewhowouldmakeofAguinaldoamerefigure-head, the usualmethodbeing toeulogizehiscompatriotsinorderto belittle his accomplishments.Certainlyfullcreditshouldbegiv-en to the ablemenwho advisedAguinaldo. Yet when impartialhistoryiswritten,itmustadjudgethat Aguinaldo knewhow to lis-tentohisadvisers,butalwaysthedecisionwashis,andhewastheunquestionedexecutorofthede-cision thusreached; thatherep-resentedcohesionandunity,andthathewasgenuinelyhonestandsincere,forhecarefullyconservedthemoneypaidhimbytheSpan-iards andused it as a trust fundto organize anew revolution. Itwas no small thing for a youngman,withscanteducation,livinginasmalltown,inthefaceofev-erydisadvantage,toweldtogeth-erapeoplewhohadneverbeenunified, and to maintain himselfas the acknowledged leader of apopularuprisingwhichwhenun-successfulisstigmatizedasanin-surrection, butwhichwhen suc-cessful bears thehonored tile ofarevolution.”(GeorgeA.Malcolm,The Commonwealth of the Phil-ippines, New York and London,D. Appleton-Century Company,1939,p.116)


MW Manuel L. Quezon(GM9118), inhisspeechasRes-identCommissionerof theU.S.A.in the House of Representatives,Washington, D.C., on October 2,1914said:

“I want to say anotherword about General Aguinaldo.AsIsaidbefore,Iknowhimper-sonally, I had served under him.As the gentlemen of this Houseareaware,Aguinaldoatonetimewieldedgreatpower in thePhil-ippines.Duringtherevolutionhewas the Supreme Military Chief,with the powers of a dictator,justas thePresidentof theUnit-ed States would be here in caseofwar.Hehadthephysicalpow-er to dowhat he chosewith thetreasuryofthethenIndependent

PhilippineGovernment.WhenhewascapturedbyGeneralFunston,afterhavingexercisedthisundis-puted authority for more thantwoyears,Aguinaldowasaspoorashewaswhenthewarstarted.”(Teodoro M. Kalaw, editor, Que-zon’s Speeches, Manila, 1925, p.227.)

No doubt, Bro. Aguinaldohas shaped and gave the Philip-pinesitsgloriousandspectacularepoch.SaidBro./Pres.Aguinaldo:“The First Philippine Republic,of which I was its humble pres-ident, was an achievement weowe, largely, toMasonryand theMasons. With God to illuminatethem and Masonry to inspirethem, the (Masons) fought thebattleofemancipationandwon.”

Juan Sumulong Lodge Masonic No. 169


Pampanga Masonic Lodge No. 48:

Centennial Lodge History Summary of the Mother Lodge in Pampanga

Compiled by: WB Joseph Harold W. Santiago, PM

(Lodge Historian)

AfterthelasttwoMasonicLodges in Pampanga: Logia Ma-sala No. 154 in San Fernando &LogiaMajestadNo.155inBacol-orcloseddownin1896,noLodgeoperated in the Province in thenexttwodecades.ButtheloveforMasonrydidnotdesertthePam-pangos.Unableto joina lodgeintheirownprovince,theyenteredthe fraternity through lodges inTarlac,Bulacan,Manila,andotherLodgesintheSouth.

By 1918, fifteen (15) Ca-pampangan Masons from eight(8) different lodges legally con-

stituted in the Philippines gath-ered in the old residence of theAbad Santos’ in the City of SanFernando, Pampanga forMason-ic information and education. Itwas during one these meetingsthat the ideaof formingaLodgein their own province was con-ceived. A requestwas submittedtotheGrandLodgeofthePhilip-pineIslandsfortheissuanceofadispensation that would autho-rizethemtoformalodgethatwillbe namedPampanga Lodge. ThepetitionforaProvisionalCharterwasdraftedandratifiedandwassignedbythisbandofbrothers:

Charter Member Mother Lodge Occupation

Pacifico R.Panlilio LogiaPerlaDelOrienteNo.1034,SC PhysicianBernardoSamson LogiaPerlaDelOrienteNo.1034,SC PhysicianLucasG.Baviera BatangasLodgeNo.35 ConstabularyOfficerIsidoroMakabali BatangasLodgeNo.35 EmployeeIsabelodeSilva MaguindanaoLodgeNo.40 EmployeePedroAbadSantos BagumbayanLodgeNo.4 LawyerMarianoTiglao NiladLodgeNo.12 LawyerSaturninoOcampo ArawLodgeNo.18 LawyerPabloAngelesDavid LaRegeneracionLodgeNo.36 LawyerFelixB.Bautista LaRegeneracionLodgeNo.36 LawyerCeferinoHilario LaRegeneracionLodgeNo.36 LawyerReginoP.Gamboa LaRegeneracionLodgeNo.36 ProprietorPedroMalig LaRegeneracionLodgeNo.36 Proprietor


MarcelinoBustosyZabala LaRegeneracionLodgeNo.36 ProprietorBenitoGolding MinervaLodgeNo.41 Proprietor

InJuly16,ofthesameyear,theMostWorshipfulGrandLodgegranted the dispensation. MWManuel L. Quezon – then GrandMasterofMasonsappointedfromtheaboverosterofvisionariestheFirst Three Lights for ourMoth-er Lodge. Brother Pedro AbadSantos became the WorshipfulMaster in the East and BrothersIsabelo de Silva (a Past Masterof Maguindanao Lodge No. 40)andCeferinoHilarioassumedthepositionoftheSeniorandJuniorWardens, respectively. Thus,Ma-sonrycontinueditsLegacyinCa-pampangansoilandtheseedsofBrotherly Love, Relief and Truthwere revived in the Province ofPampanga.

Bythestrengthofthedis-pensation, the members of ourLodgewereauthorizedtoacceptpetitions, elect candidates andconferthe3degreesofMasonry.

5monthslateronDecem-ber28,1918,theLodgeconduct-ed itsFirstRaisingCeremonyonthefollowingcandidates:

1. Saturnino David2. Pascual Gozun 3. Candido Hizon4. Marciano Ordoñez5. Amado Pekson

To these 5 Brethren, be-longthehonorabledistinctionsofbeing the firstMasterMasons tobe raised to the Sublime DegreeofMasonryinPampangaLodge.

On January 28, 1919,during the 7th Annual Commu-nications of the Grand Lodge ofthePhilippineIslands, theLodgewasgranteditsChartersignedbythenGrandMasterMWMiltonE.SpringerandtheGrandSecretaryMWNewtonC.Comfort,PGM.TheLodgeisnumbered48.

59 Days later, on March29, 1919, Grand Master MiltonE. Springer, assisted by Francis-coA. Delgado, Ladislao Jose,Mi-guel Unson and other Masonicdignitaries, constituted Pampan-gaLodgeNo.48andinstalleditsofficers at the Cine Excelsior inSan Fernando, Pampanga beforean audience ofmore than 1,000–manyofwhomwereladiesandsome300wereMasterMasons.

JuanL.Luna,theoratorofthe Lodge, delivered an addressof welcome in Spanish. PascualGozunspokeinPampangoontheMission ofMasonry – Lugod Pa-mikakapatad, Pamanyaup at Ka-tutuan.


When Legends Led the Lodge During the early years ofits existence, Masonic Meetingsand other lodge business wereconducted in the house of theWBPedroAbad Santos or otherprivateresidences.Thechallengewastofindsomewaysandmeanstorealizeabuildingandaconve-nientsiteforit.

Risingtothechallenge,thebrethren formed the PampangaMasonicTempleAssociation,Inc.(PMTAI)in1921forthepurposeofacquiringa lotandconstruct-ingaTemple.Sharesweresoldat

50.00pesos eachwith the lodgeasthecontrollingstockholderaf-terbuyingthegreatestnumberofshares.

Byagreement, theMasterof the lodge, assumed the presi-dency of the corporation, whileJose Gutierrez David the corpo-rate secretary administered theproperty.Theenterprisepaidoffand in time a lot was procured.Between1924&1925,duringthetwo-yeartermofFelixBautistaasWorshipful Master, the Lodge’sFirst Temple was erected andnamedGeneralHizonTemple.

Above Left – Photo of Charter Master lifted from the 1930’s Book – Ninu’t Ninu Qng Capampangan

Above Right - Oldest known photo of Pampanga Lodge 48 (circa 1920’s)– c/o Pampango Blogger Mr. Alex Castro


In 1929, during its 10thCharter Year - Pampanga LodgeNo. 48 helped in the Charteringofthe2ndLodgeintheProvince:LeonardWoodLodgeNo.105 inFortStotsenberg(nowClarkFreePort Zone). Among the LodgeMembers who became key of-ficers of the newly constitutedlodge was Bro. Cipriano Masi-clatofthePhilippineScoutswhoservedasLodgeSecretaryduringtheearlyyearsofLWL105. Asrediscoveredinseveralarticles in theearly issuesof theCableTowNewsletterandeveninthe several ANCOMProceedings,the Lodgewas known for its af-fluenceandinfluencebothintheGrandLodgeandintheProvinceduringitsfirst25years.

SeveralofitsPastMasters likePedroAbadSantosandRafa-elDeLeon,andQuirinoAbadSan-tos became District Inspectors(pre-cursor to the current posi-tion of DDGM) at various times.WB Apolinario De Leon evenserved as Senior Grand StewardtoMWJoseAbadSantosin1938.

Amongits first160mem-bers were Government and Ci-vilian Employees, Military Men,Educators,HacienderosandReli-gious&PoliticalLeaders.

Two of its members (WBSoteroBaluyutandBro.PabloAn-

geles-David) alternately becameGovernorsofPampangabetween1925and1947.TheyevenmeetintheSenateandMalacanang-al-ternatelyasSenatorsand/orCab-inetMembers. Two Past Masters – JoseGutierrez-DavidandFelixB.Bau-tistawereelecteddelegatestothe1934 Constitutional Conventiontogether with 30 other Masonswhocomprise the202delegatesoftheaugustassembly. When Jose G. Morales –Mayor of Magalang, became theWorshipful Master in 1941, theLodge’sCharterthenwasalready22Yearsold.However,beforethelodge could conduct its ElectionofOfficersonthe13thofDecem-ber(2ndSaturdayasstatedintheoriginalLodgeBy-laws), the Jap-anese bombed Pearl Harbor onDec7(Dec8inPhilippineTime)thus drawing the Country intoWorldWarII-disruptingallma-sonic activities throughout thejurisdiction. The Lodge wouldhavebrightlycelebrateditsSilverAnniversaryby1944buttheJap-aneseOccupation(1942to1944)darkenedthehistoryofPampan-ga48.

The First Temple, alongwith theproprietarydocuments,wastotallydestroyed.Noactivitycouldbeheldorplanned,ascom-munications between members


wasalmostimpossible. Mosttragicthoughwastheloss of several members duringthewar and in the early days oftheliberation: The Charter Master, WBPedro Abad Santos, died in Jan-uary 15, 1945. He was believedto have been buried somewherein Minalin. Other known casual-tieswereCol.TelesforoMartinezformerProvincialCommanderofPampanga, later member of theresistancewas killedby the Jap-anese in February 10, 1945 andVW Apolinario De Leon amem-berofQuezon’sCabinet.

War Damage Claims and Rehabilitation

PML48 was among thefirst lodges to be reactivated in1945,afterPastMastersBasilioJ.CastroandIsidroL.Makabalito-getherwithBro.ArcadioQ.Ocerasecured a copyof theCharter oftheLodge fromtheGrandLodgeofthePhilippineIslands.

As reported by GrandMaster Michael Goldenberg intheProceedingsoftheAnComin1946 he delegated Nate G. Hor-lick, a visiting Brother from theUStore-openPampangaLodge.

The first meeting afterthe Liberation was held on July21,1945 inagovernmentbuild-

ing behind the Provincial Capi-tol. WB Basilio Castro presidedas the Worshipful Master andWBSantiagoRazonassumedthesecretary’stable.ManyAmericanMasonsinthemilitarygracedtheoccasion. With the Temple de-stroyed, the Lodge filed for wardamage claims and meetingswere held in rooms at the Pro-vincial Capitol. By 1949 duringthe termofWMIgnacioBaluyot,Bro. Eloy Baluyot – then Mayorof Lubao became a Mason andthroughhim,theLodgewasabletoacquireoneQuonsetHutfromtheU.S.GovernmentintheirLaraDepotinSanFernando.Afterbe-ing dismantled and reassembledwithin the property, the Lodgehad a unique TemplewhichwasdedicatedinJanuary14,1950byMWEstebanMunarrizduringthetermofWBJuanSunga.Inrecog-nitionofhisrole inthepost-warrehabilitation of the PL48, WBBasilio Castro was awarded byaDiplomaofMeritby theGrandLodge. The 2nd Temple housedtheLodgelateintothe1960’s.


(Drawn Photo of the Quonset Hut – Entrance facing the true East and an acacia tree planted at the back of the structure as described by WB Orlando Nicdao who was raised on the said Temple in 1970 before it was dismantled).

Transfer of Ownership of the Lodge Property

When VW Amado Sadsadbecame the Golden Jubilee Mas-terin1969,thegrowingconcernthenwasthefifty-yearexpirationofthePampangaMasonicTempleAssociation. The corporation isnearingitsmaturityby1971andthelodgepropertymightbecon-fiscatedbythePhilippineGovern-ment.HeapproachedVWQuirinoAbad Santos (QAS), perennialcustodianofthePMTAtorequestthat the ownership of the LodgeProperty be transferred to theLodgeitselfbutwasunsuccessful.“Kayongmgabatakayo,ibebentanyo lamangang loteng iyanpag-datingng araw.”were thewordsutteredbythe lodgeeldertotheincumbentMaster.

Anotherissueisthatmostof theoriginalPMTAshare-hold-ers have long dropped theirworkingtoolsandtheirsharesofstockhavepassedontotheirde-scendantswhowerenotmasons.Upon the suggestion of the Dis-trict Officer - WB Isaac S. Puno,

Jr. - the Brethren approachedsomeofthesurvivingsharehold-ersandrequestedthemtodonatetheir PMTA shares to the Lodge.Through the generosity of theselife members, the shares of thelodgeincreased[from40%to52%]thusmakingPampangaLodge48 the majority stock holder ofthe Pampanga Masonic TempleAssociation.

In 1973, as recorded intheminutesoftheRegularStatedMeetings (RSM) of WB OrlandoNicdaoforthemonthofMarch,heannouncedthatVWAbadSantosfinallyagreedtoturn-overthead-ministrationoftheMasonicTem-pleAssociationLottotheelectiveofficersof theLodge,waivingallhis rights, interests and partici-pations subject to certain condi-tions. Itwas a very timelymovefor in just a short span of days,the Lodge Property CustodiandroppedhisWorkingTools.

OnApril16,1975-amongtheimportantactionsoftheLodgeasthecontrollingStockHolderofPMTAwasthetransferofowner-shipoftheLandTitleunderThe Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of the Philippines (in trust for Pampanga Lodge No. 48).

Under such resolution,theLandTitlewasnamedunderthe GLP subject to the following


termsandconditions:

1–thattheLodgeshallhaveper-petualuseoftheproperty;and

2–ifthelotissoldormortgaged,all proceedswill be spent solelyfor the use and improvement of

theLodge. It must be NOTED thatthroughtheaboveactions,these-niorlodgemembershaveassuredthe future of PampangaMasonicLodgeNo. 48which is being en-joyedbyitspresentmembers.

Above Left: WB Quirino Abad Santos, younger brother of Pedro Abad Santos and MW Jose Abad Santos in his prime.

Above Right: 1950’s photo of VW Quirino Abad Santos, long-time Custodian of the Lodge.

Below are the Past Master Portraits of two of the oldest Masons in Pampan-ga during the Centennial of Kapampangan Freemasonry in 2018.


With issue on the landownership finally settled, thebrethren took on the next threeproblemsoneaftertheother:

First,anewtemplehastobe built as theQuonsetHutwasvacatedin1970duetoitsdilapi-datedconditionandinthenext7years(1971–1977)thebrethrenheldtheirmeetingsintheCentralUnited Methodist Church in SanFernando, whose accommoda-tion wasmade possible throughthe LodgeMemberswho belongto thesaidChurch.Sometimes itisconductedintheoldbuildingofthePampangaHighSchool.

Second–afteryearsofun-use and with no fence to deterencroachment, informal settlershave begun erecting structureswithinthelodgepremisesandtosettle the demolition legally, thelodge had to pay 10,000.00 phpperevictedfamily.

The 3rd task was to se-cure the Lodge Property with aconcrete fence along the side ofthe railroadwhich is the longestportionoftheland.Thesaidfencewascompletedinthe1980’s.

The Third PML 48 Temple

When WB Vicente Gar-cia, Jr. firstassumedthepositionin the East in 1975, designs for

a new temple were made as heattempted to acquire the neces-sary building materials. OtherBrethren followed his lead andmade pledges. Even the salvage-able parts of the Quonset Hutweresoldtohelpfinancethenewtemple. Despite the eagernessamong the Brethren, construc-tionof theTempleonlybegan in1976.Thebungalowtypeedificewasstillinitsroughstageswhenthe brethrenmoved back to thelodge’s premises in the middleof1977.WBGarciawasre-elect-ed asMaster for the 2nd half of1977 and with the continuedsupport of theBrethren, the3rdTemplewascompletedslowlybutsurely. In the succeedingyears–eachincomingWorshipfulMastermade improvements (whetherforstrengthorornament) to thetemple. A sturdy structure, the3rdTemplelasted37Years.

Someof the furnituredo-nated by the Brethren can stillbe found in the lodge today: theWoodenPillars (B& J) fromWB


SalvadorDabuin1978,thebrassknockers&woodenboardsfromWBNicdao&Bro.Aviado, andaMasonic Poem: Tonight I kneltwhere Hiram Knelt delicatelycarvedonalargewoodenplaquecompliments of WB FernitoLusungin1980.

The 70’s and 80’s weremarked with difficulties bothwithinandoutsidethelodge:TheLodge was burglarized severaltimesasrecordedinseveralmin-utesinthe1970’s.Activeadmin-istration was being maintainedby an aging population of lodgemembers, many of whom werePast Masters. From the usual 1year term, several WM’s servedonly the minimum requirementof6months.LengthofserviceintheEast sometimes ranged from18 to 30 months. Another PastMaster who already served thelodge2decadesearlierwasagaincalleduponto leadthe lodge foranothertermin1984. In1985,incumbentDDGM

Antolin “Lynn” Naguiat becameimpressed with the resiliency ofthe Brethren of PML48. He no-ticed that despite the hardshipsencountered by the lodge in theprevious years Harmony andCharity still endured.He appliedfor dual membership and be-cameamemberbyfavorablebal-lot. Come election on Decemberof the same year, hewas electedWorshipful Master – a positionheheldfor4straightyears!From1986 to 1989, VW Lynn shoul-deredalllodgeexpensesthusgiv-ingtheBrethren,amuchneededrespitefromfinancialburdens.

All seems well for thelodgewhenanewtragedystruck.

InJuneof1991,MountPi-natubointhenearbyProvinceofZambales erupted, emitting ashanddustwhichhaveaccumulatedinitscraterforthelast600years.Itwasconsideredasthe2ndlarg-estvolcaniceruption in the20thcentury.


1994 marked the 75thYear of PML48. WM Eligio Soli-man led the celebrations with aseriesofworthwhileMasonicAc-tivitiesasrecordedintheLodge’sDiamondJubileeYearBook.

Lajar from the Mt. Pina-tuboEruption ravaged the prov-ince in the 1990’s. PML48 wasnotsparedasthe3rdTemplewasburiedmetersdeepandby1995meetings were held in LWL105inAngelesCitywhichgeographi-callyhasahigherterrainthanSanFernando.

ItwasnowtheturnofWBCarmeloNaguiattohelpthelodge.HealreadyservedasWMbackin1991.HisresumptiontotheEastinthenext4years(1997–2000)ledthebrethrenfromsurvivaltorecoveryas fundswereraisedtorehabilitatetheLodge.

In 1999, during his 4thTerm as WM, he was appointedDDGM to MW Franklin Demon-teverde.VWMelotooktheoppor-tunity to organize a GrandMas-ter’s Night in Central Luzon andwiththeproceedswasabletofi-nanceasignificantprojectforhisMotherLodge.

With the coming of the21st Century, a Fellowship Hallwas constructed adjoining theAnteroom and the Temple itself.

Itwasan imposing façadewhichwelcomes the Brethren as theyenter the Pampanga MasonicLodgeGrounds.

It is also fortunate that a largegain in lodge membership en-sued from 1999 to 2000, when17MasterMasonswereraisedtotheSublimeDegree.Thearrivalofnew blood, further reinvigoratedthelodge.Thesebandofbrothershave continued to be a positiveinfluence to the lodge up to thepresentday…

TheLightCaster–aNews-letterforPML48waspublishedbyWM Rainer Arocena. The Lodgemanaged to produce several is-sueseverynowandthen.

In recognition of the ad-mirable unity among a group ofmasons working in harmony toadvancetheidealsoffreemasonrywithintheirlodgeinkeepingwiththe noble traditions of the juris-diction,PampangaMasonicLodgeNo.48waspresentedwiththeAn-nualGrandLodgeAwardofOut-


standing Masonic LodgeinApril24,2003duringthe83rdAnnualCommunicationsbyMWEugenioS.Labitoria.

Succeeding WM’s madeadditional improvements inthe Lodge Temple whether forstrengthorornament.

Togetherwiththegrowinglodgestability,theBrethrenwereabletomakemorecontributionsin the development of Kapam-pangan Freemasonry as theypursueotherMasonicEndeavorslikemasonic scholarship aswellasthesupportingthecreationofnewlodgesandotherAppendantBodies.

Several PML48 BrethrenhelpedCharter–JoseAbadSantosMemorialLodgeNo.333inMaba-lacatCityin2000.TwoMemberseven served as Worshipful Mas-tersofthesaidlodgenamely:VWLorenzoDetran,Jr.,PJGLandVWNelsonE.Nucup,PDGL.

Other Brethren helpedCharter3moreLodges:Magalang

Lodge No. 391 (2010), TiburcioHilario Memorial Lodge No. 394(2010) andPoracLodgeNo.411(2013). With VW Ernesto S. Du-mas,PDDGMbecomingtheChar-terMasterandWBHaroldW.San-tiago, PM as Secretary for THMLNo.394.

VW’s Niccolo Vittorio A.Go, Jose Francisco H. Fausto andEdgar R. Pattaui together withother PML48 Brethren were in-strumental in the establishmentofPampangaYorkRiteBodies in2008.

WB Aristotle T. Pineda,PMhelpedestablished thePedroAbad Santos Memorial ChapterorderofDeMolayin2013–itwassponsoredbyPampangaMasonicLodgeNo.48.VW Nicanor Targa, PDGL andWBFrancisDimaliwat,areChap-ter Presidents of the Mt. ArayatShrineClub.

Yours truly for the last12 yearshavebeen immersed incompilingtheHistoryofPML48.

The 4th Temple – the PML48 Centennial Temple

The 3rd Masonic Templeof PML48 have stood for almost3decadesandhaveshelteredtheBrethren from the rigors of theseasonsthroughoutthelastquar-terofthecentury.


IthasservedtheLodge&Brethrenwelldespitesomeprob-lemsandlimitations:1. The area is frequently in-undated and the Temple can besubmerged in flood water fordaysonend.2. The Temple has becomespatially-challengedthroughtimeaslodgemembershiphassignifi-cantlyincreasedbyYear2000.

To address this perennialproblem and spatial limitation,anewtemplehastobebuilt. In2006,WMJoseNiñoFranciscoH.FaustocreatedthePML48Build-ing Fund to start a drive amongthe Brethren to aspire to have aNewTempleintheFuture.InitialCollectionswerebasedonvolun-tarydonations.

By2012,WMMarcoAnto-nioB.JimenezcreatedthePML48Centennial Committee and in-structedthenSWMalamugtode-velopaRoadMapthatcanguidethe succeeding Masters of theLodge towards the Lodge’s Cen-tennial Anniversary in 2018. Heconducted2FundRaisingDrivesduringhistermtorefilltheFaus-to Building Fund.

In2013WMRafaelB.Mal-amug, Jr. initiated 2 Infrastruc-tureProjectsinconjunctionwiththe PML48 Centennial Road Map:Upgrading the restroomof

theexistingtempleandrebuildingthe Lodge Fence which was dis-mantled by the Northrail Projectin2009. Come 2014, WM NicanorS. Targa initiated the building ofthe4thTemple.Agargantuantaskthatitseemedimpossibletoexistoutsidethedrawingboard.Never-theless,WMTargaundertook theimprobable and device variousways&meanstoachievethegoal.

Under his leadership andwiththesupportoftheBrethren,the4thTemplewas finished in6Months at the cost of 1.3MillionPesos.Bro.VirgilioLapuz, Jr.wasthe Architect and Bro. Rogelio G.Santos oversaw the Project. De-molishingoftheoldstructureandconstruction of the new buildingstarted in May and by October28,2014–the4thTempleofwasdedicatedbyMWAllanLMPurisi-ma.It was a MIRACLE YEAR for PML48!


2015 is the Year of Con-tinuity byWM JosephHaroldW.Santiago,underwhose term,un-finishedlodgeprojectswerecon-tinuedbyutilizingtheCentennialRoadMapdesignedbyWBMala-mugwhichwasrenamedtheMal-amug Criteria.

By the continued supportoftheBrethren–theLodgeFencewascompletedandlandfillintro-ducedasaroadwaytogainaccessto the back portion of the lodgepropertymakingiteasierforpro-spective investors to survey theProperty.

With the approval of the Brethren the following Lodge Resolutions were adopted:

1. The 4th Lodge Temple wasrenamed as PML48 Centenni-al Temple in anticipation of theLodge’s Centennial Anniversaryin2018-2019.

2. The Fellowship Hall was re-namedasMillenium Hall -mark-ing the timeof its completion in

theYear2000AD.

3.Thewhole Structure includingthe Patio, Temple, Ante-Room,Preparation Room, AdminOffice,andFellowshipHallwasrenamedPampanga Masonic Center and will be insured for 2.5 Millioneachyear.

4.ThecompletedlodgefencewasnamedtheHistory Wall,asitwillcontainvariousmarkersthatwillmarktheimportanteventsofthelodge.

5. A Centennial Fund was alsocreated, assessing each LodgeMembertheamountof10,000.00Phppayablefrom2015to2018tofinancetheYear-LongEventofthePML48CentennialfromJuly2018toJuly2019.

Last 2016, WM ArnaldoJake Z. Rivera, Jr. - following theMalamugCriteriasucceededintheupgrading of the Millenium HallorFellowshipRoomandthepatiowas even extended outside for abigger fellowship area. In 2017 -WMVirgilioG.Lapuz,Jr.isactive-ly continuing the improvementsbeing made by his predecessorsattherateofatleast1noticeableimprovementeachmonth!

In fine - 100 Years of Pampanga Masonic Lodge No. 48 can be summed up in 9 fig-ures:


5,739sq.meters -theareaofthe lodge property acquired bytheFoundingBrethren.

465MasterMasons-thenumberof enlisted members who havesigneditsBy-Laws.

101 Installation - the number oftimes Lodge Leadership & Ad-ministrationwasturned-over.

83PastMasters - thenumberofBrethrenwholedtheLodge

82 Active Members - the cur-rentnumberofBrethreningoodstanding

15 CharterMembers - the num-berofBrethrenwhofoundedthelodge

4Temples-thenumberoftimestheBrethrenbuildtheirshelter

2Charters-thenumberoftimesthelodgemandatewasgiven

1Jurisdiction - the number oftimesthelodgesworeobedienceto.

ONE Lodge - that faction-lessfigurethatmadethe lodge lastacentury!

On its 100th year, the BrethrenmustberemindednottomistaketheTemplefortheirLodge:

The General Hizon Tem-pleconstructedin1924lasted20Years.

The Quonset Hut re-as-sembledin1949lastedthesame. The 3rd Temple whichwas built on the foundation ofCharity andHarmonyamong theBrethrenlasted37Years.

The PML48 Centennial TemplealsobuiltbymortalhandsandisthereforeNOTeternal.

For it is the non-materialtenets of Brotherly Love, Reliefand Truth that made the Lodgetrulylast.

July 16, 2018marked the100th Year of Existence of Pam-pangaMasonicLodge.January 28, 2019 marked the100th Year that the lodge wasgranted its Charter as the 48thLodge in the Philippine Jurisdic-tionofFreeandAcceptedMasons.


100years ago– inMarch29,1919,theFirstSetofOfficersofPampangaLodgewasinstalledfollowing its constitution as the48th Lodge under the GLPI. TheWM(abachelorinhisearly40’s)was assisted by his SW (a PastMaster form another lodge) andhisJW(thesonofaMasterMasonofadifferentlodge.)

100yearslater–inMarch16, 2018, the 102nd Set of Offi-cersofPampangaMasonicLodge

No.48underGLPwillbeinstalledpriortothecentenaryofitsCon-stitution.TheWM(againabache-lorinhisearly40’s)willbeassist-edbyhisSW(againaPastMasterfromanother lodge)andandhisJW(againthesonofaMasterMa-sonofadifferentLodge). The Centennial Cycle ofthe oldest Lodge in Pampangawill soon be complete and thenew age of Pampanga MasonicLodgeNo.48shallbeginanew.


History of Charleston Lodge No. 44, F&AM The firstMasonicmeetingheld

on the Island of GuamunderAmericanoccupationwasin1903,whensomefivemembersoftheOrdermetfordinner.In1906,therewasanothermeetingduringwhich the proposition of organizing aMasonic lodge in Guam was discussedforthefirsttime.MorrisO’BrientookupthematterwiththeGrandLodgeofCali-fornia,butitentertaineddoubtsthatthelimitednumberofMasonsontheIslandcouldsupportalodge.

Thematterwasdroppedforthetime being and no further steps weretakenuntil1917,whenCharlesLobingi-erduringhisbriefstay,andthepossibil-ityofbringingMasonrytotheislandwasdiscussed. Due to the religious beliefsof thepeople, itwas realized thatmostof the workwould have to be done bytransient military personnel. Lobingiersuggestedthat,asa firststep,aMason-icSojourners’Associationbeorganized,and,ifsuccessful,apetitionbeaddressedtotheGrandLodgeofthePhilippineIs-landsforadispensationtoopenalodge.OnJanuary22,1918,thepetitionfordis-pensation was drawn up signed by 14MasonswhoweremembersoflodgesintheUnitedStatesandonewhobelongedtoLodgePerladelOrienteinManila.

GrandMasterManuelL.Quezonissued the dispensation on February 4,1918. OnMarch 4, the first meeting ofCharleston Lodge, UD, was held at 497HernanCortez Street and the followingwere elected: H.R. Jackson, WorshipfulMaster; William. M. Hantschke, SeniorWarden;H.W.Elliott,JuniorWarden;H.E.Merchant, Secretary and W.H. Wolford,Treasurer.

At the Annual CommunicationoftheGrandLodgeheldinJanuary1919part of the papers of Charleston LodgedidnotarriveowingtothemailserviceinGuam,nevertheless theGrandLodgegranted it a charter on January 28 “inview of the work done by this lodge.”On February 25, 1919, the lodge wasinformed by cablegram that DeputyGrandMasterRafaelPalmawouldarrivein Guam onMarch 1 on board the U.S.Army Transport Sherman to constituteCharlestonLodgeNo.44.Itwasassumedthat everything would be conducted inthe normalmanner, but the day beforethe ship arrived thememberswere in-formed that because of the extremelyshort stayof thevessel inport,nopas-sengerswouldbeallowedtogoashore.Themembers,however,werepermittedto board the vessel, so a meeting washeld in the Captain’s cabin aboard theSherman and there Charleston Lodgewasformallyconstituted.Itsfirstprin-cipal officers under charterwere: Wil-liam H. Hantschke, Worshipful Master;Harry A. Nagle, Senior Warden; H.W.Elliott, JuniorWarden; and, G.S. Bower,Secretary.

Between the years 1918 and1941 Charleston Lodge progressedsteadily although not at a spectacularrate.Thelodgelaboredunderonehand-icap–theAmericanpopulationinGuamwas a fleeting one as most AmericanswereinthenavalormilitaryserviceandtheirtourofdutyinGuamwastwoyearsorless.Bythetimeamancouldberaisedto the sublime degree of a Master Ma-sonhewasduetoleave,unlesshewasapermanent resident. About seventy-fivepercent of the roster of the lodge wasnon-resident.


The invasion of Guam by theJapanese in December 1941 forced thelodgeintodarknessuntiltheislandwasagainre-occupiedbytheU.S.MarinesinJuly1944.Thereoccupationwaspreced-ed by a bombardment that leveled thecityofAganaandcompletelydemolishedthe Masonic lodge hall. Into the ruinscame Bro. E.T. Jensen of Oakland, Cali-forniaandamemberoftheU.S.LandingForces.His steps led to the demolishedlodge hall and there, in the rubble, hefound the charter of Charleston LodgeNo. 44 still intact and undamaged. Jen-sentookthecharterandbroughtitwithhimtotheUnitedStatesforsafekeepinguntilsuchtimeasitwouldbepropitioustoreturnittoGuam.

Soon after the liberation ofGuam, theusual “Square andCompass”Clubs were established on the island.Oneofthese,theMasonicClubofGuam,eventually absorbed all the other clubsandlaidthefoundationforpost-warMa-sonicactivitiesontheisland.Itwasalsoinstrumental in the implementation ofthedecisionoftheGrandMasterMichaelGoldenberg to reactivate CharlestonLodge.

EarlyinMarch1946,WorshipfulBrother JohnTaitano, the first Chamor-rotobemadeaMasterMasoninGuam,recommendedtheresumptionoftheac-tivitiesofCharlestonLodge.Bro.Col.Ar-chibald Tanner transmitted the recom-mendationtoGrandMasterGoldenbergwhodirectedMaj.RobertA.Burri,33°toeffectthereactivation.

At about that same time, theMasonicClubofGuamreceiveda letterfromJensen inquiringabout theproperauthority towhom he could return thecharter.A reply tohis letter resulted inthedeliveryofthecharterbyairmailon

theverydaythelodgehelditsfirstpost-warregularmeeting.

Fourmembersofthelodgeanda large number from other lodges at-tendedthereactivationmeeting.Twentyof theattendees filedpetitions fordualmembership. Moreover, the MasonicClubofGuamoffered theuseof a fullyequipped lodge hall and regalia suffi-cient for a lodgeof onehundredmem-bers.

With these resources on hand,Charleston Lodge was officially reac-tivatedonApril6,1946. Inamatterofweeks its officerswere elected and in-stalled.Thehall lent to the lodge,how-ever,wasfortemporaryuseonly.Duetothecriticalshortageofessentialbuildingmaterials and other factors, CharlestonLodgecouldnotconstructapermanenthallsoithadtoholdmeetingsinvarioustemporaryhomesduringthedecadefol-lowingitsreactivation.

In January 1955, through thecombinedeffortsofalltheMasonicBod-iesinGuam,apermanentconcreteblocktwo-storyScottishRiteTemplewascom-pleted.This structure is now thehomeof Charleston Lodge No. 44, Milton C.Marvin Lodge No. 123 and MicronesiaLodgeNo.173,aswellastheotheractiveMasonicBodiesoftheYorkRite,ScottishRite,OrderoftheEasternStarandMari-anasTravelersLodgeNo.49.

Source: Philippine Lodges, Reynaldo S. Fajardo and Geminiano V. Galarosa, Jr.

Submitted by: VW Gregory B. Blas, CJGL


FREEMASONRY AND THE PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENT CHURCH

ILL. Samuel P. Fernandez, 33ᵒ IGH

It is quite difficult to talkabouthistoryofthePhilippineRe-public without the contributionsofMasonicGreatswhoshedtheirblood thatwemay see thedawnoflibertyandfreedom.InthePro-paganda and Reformation eras,Freemasonsdominatedthescene.Any historian will recognize thename of: Jose Rizal, Marcelo H.del Pilar, Andres Bonifacio, Gra-cianoLopezJaena,JuanLuna,JoseMa.Basa,AntonioRegidor,Ladis-laoDiwa,DoroteoCortes, JoseA.Ramos, Mariano Ponce, TeodoroPlata, Apolinario Mabini, MoisesSalvador,AmbrocioSalvador,Jaco-boZobel,DeodatoArellano,Man-uelAriasRodriguez,JuanAtayde,RafaeldelPan,TomasdelRosario,Domingo Franco, Doroteo Jose,Eduardo de Lete, Julio Llorente,Jose Ma. Panganiban, AmbrocioReanzares Bautista, Jose Dizon,EstanislaoLegaspi,FranciscoNa-kpil,DoroteoOngjungco,TimoteoPaez,ArcadiodelRosario,AntonioZalazar, Faustino Villaruel, JuanZulueta, Damaso Ponce, JoaquinPardodeTavera,amongothers.

Thereisnootherfraterni-tythatcanboastofanarrayoffa-mousleadersblazingthefraternalfirmament.Intheinterestoftime,

this paperwill focus on the reli-giouscontributionsof thePhilip-pineIndependentChurchandwillzero inonthosewhohelpedandled in the fight for freedom fromSpanish ecclesiastical domina-tion.

The Philippine Indepen-dentChurch(PIC)isnotaproductof thewhims and capriciousnessofMason leaderswhowanted toseparatefromtheRomanCatholicChurch. It is the resultof centu-ries of racial discrimination andecclesiasticalbiasandbigotry.

Whentheearlyfriars(Mis-sionaryPriests)conqueredthisis-landarchipelago, therewere twotypesofChristians in Spain: theCristiano Viejos and theCristiano Conversos. The former had em-braced the faith for the last fourgenerations, and the latter werenewconverts. InSpain, theJewsand theMuslimswere convertedto Roman Catholicism for conve-nience. The Spaniards looked attheseconvertswithsuspect.

In the Philippines, earlyChristianization was conductedthrough training children knownas“niñosyseñoritos”,sonsof lo-


calchief.Thetykesweremadetostay in the Convento. Garbed ingrayishgown,theylooklikelittlepriests. Attheirtenderage,theyweremade to explain the ritualsandsymbolsofChristianity.Manyof them dreamed that one daytheywillbecomepriestsliketheirmentors. Toobad, the Indios did nothaveLimpieza de Sangre (Pu-rityofBlood). Soasearlyasthe15th and 16th Century, racial dis-criminationwasveryevident.

Regular priests are mis-sionary priests under a FatherPrefect of theOrder. The secularpriestsareunderaDiocesanBish-op.

The Augustinians werethe first Friars who came to thePhilippines. They were followedby Franciscans, Dominicans andAugustinian Recollects. The firstEpiscopalSeewaserectedinMa-nilain1578.

Indios could only becomeHermanos Donados wholivedwiththe Religious Order (mission-arypriests).Theywerenotgiventhe privilege to take their vows.When Indio ApolinariodelaCruzwasdeniedordination,heformedhisCofradia de San Jose. Hetrans-lated the Passion and the Life of Christ so that the Indios wouldbeabletounderstandhimbetter.TheSpaniardsgotalarmedwhenthey realized that his influence

extendedfromTayabastoLaguna.

ApolinariodelaCruz(Her-manoPuli)wascaught,beheadedandquarteredbythechurchthathadcuddledhimfromchildhood.

EARLY LEADER OF SECULAR-IZATION

Father Pedro Pelaez, amestizo,wasthefirstleaderofthesecularization movement. Stan-dard historical text attributedsecularization to Fathers Gomez,BurgosandZamora.

Father Pelaez definitelysawtheracialdiscriminationandwasvocalaboutthesituation.Hisfamousstudentwas JoseBurgos,abrilliantpriestwhosportedtwoDoctoral Ecclesiastical degrees:Doctor en Teologia and Doctor en Canones. WhenFatherPelaezpassedaway,FatherBurgos tookthe cudgel in championing secu-larization. Father Burgos was abrother-in-law of Dr. Jose Marti,a 33rdDegreeMason,andfounderofmanyMasonicLodges.

The 1872, the so-called“Cavite Mutiny” implicated thethreefamouspriestsandallthreewere garroted by the Spaniards.ThisincidentchangedRizal’sam-bitiontobecomeapriest.Heopt-ed for a Doctor of Medicine andDoctorofPhilosophyinLetters.El Filibusterismo isdedicated to the


unfortunatesecularpriestsandinthewordsofDr.JoseRizal:

“To the memory of the priests, Don Mariano Gomez (65 years old), Don Jose Burgos (30 years old) and Don Jacinto Zamora (35 years old). Executed in Bagum-bayan Field on the 28th of February 1872.

The Church, by refusing to degrade you, has placed in doubt the crime that has been imputed to you; the Government, by sur-roundings your trials with mystery and shadows, causes the belief that there was some error, committed in memory and calling you martyrs, in no sense recognizes your culpa-bility. In so far, therefore, as your complicity in the Cavite Mutiny is not clearly proved, as you may or may not have been patriots, and as you may or may not have cherished sentiments for justice and for liber-ty, I have the right to dedicate my work to you as victims of the evil which I undertake to combat. And while we wait expectantly upon Spain someday to restore your good name and cease to be an-swerable for your death, let these pages serve as a tardy wreath of dried leaves over your unknown tombs, and let it be understood that everyone who without clear proofs attacks your memory stains his hands in your blood!” (A littlerectificationofRizal’sdedication:

the martyrdom of GOMBURZAwas on February 17, 1872 noton February 28. Father Gomezwas73yearsoldnot85. FatherBurgoswas35not30andFatherZamorawas37yearsoldnot35.)

Some of the biting wordsofRizaladdressedtotheSpanishOfficialsandFriarswere:“I discov-ered that in my poor country the officials, Friars and Colonials alike, live in hopes of sucking the blood of Filipinos. There are exceptions but they are rare. Most merely quarrel over the body.”

THE FRIARS

Thetaskofconvertingthenatives of the Philippines and ofestablishing the Roman CatholicChurchfellexclusivelyontheRe-ligiousOrdersoftheAugustiniansRecollects, Franciscans, Domini-cansandJesuits.Themagnificentcathedrals and churches existingtodaywere constructedwith thesweatandbloodoftheIndios.NodoubtthattheFriarswerecredit-edinbuildingroads,bridgesandfactories. The Roman CatholicChurch became rich and power-ful and acquired extensive landestates. Therewas a close unionbetweenchurchandstatetosuchanextent that thoseofficiallybe-longing to the church were alsoconsideredcivilservant. Resent-ment abounded among the Indi-os because the Spaniards abused


their power. When the originalmissions of the Regular Orderswere completed, the Friars whowerepatrioticSpaniardsstucktotheir position, relegating the Fil-ipino Secular Priests to the rankof coadjutors or assistant par-ish priests. There was no hopefor promotion among the Indio Priests belonging to the SecularOrder.Theresentmentof theFil-ipinoSecularClergies createdanexplosive situation that it was amatteroftimethatschismwouldoccur.

The Indios rose in armsanddeclared their independenceonJune12,1898atKawit,Cavite.The Indios viewedtheFriarsasagreatestobstacletoreforms,thus,was the cry: “Viva España! Viva la Reina! Viva el ejercito! Fuera los frailes!” Itwasnotsurprising,therefore, that Filipino SecularClergies sided with the rebelsagainst the Friars and the Span-iards.Theanti-FriarprejudicedidnotsubsideevenwiththeAmeri-canoccupation.

BIRTH OF THE PHILIPPINE IN-DEPENDENT CHURCH

The threeprominentpeo-plecreditedwiththebirthofthePhilippine Independent Churchwere:BrothersEmilioF.Aguinal-do,ApolinarioMabiniandJosedelos Reyes. Brother Masons werethe brains and the visionaries

who established an independentFilipinoChurchwhichisnowpop-ularlyknownasIglesia Filipina In-dependencia (IFI).

BRO. EMILIO AGUINALDO

First President of the Re-public,III.EmilioAguinaldo,33rd,of the Scottish RiteMasonry ap-pointed Catholic priest GregorioAglipayyLabayanasMilitaryVic-ar General on October 20, 1898.The fact that Father Aglipaywasappointed asMilitary Vicar Gen-eral implied that he had a Secu-lar Authority as the head of thechurchinthePhilippines.

Bro. Aguinaldo divulgedthat: The First Philippine Re-public of which I was its humble President, was an achievement we owe, largely, to Masonry and the Masons. With God to illumine them and Masonry to inspire them, the (Masons) fought the battle of emancipation and won.” Bro.Agui-naldowascoronetedonFebruary12,1956bytheSupremeCouncilof the 33rd and last degree, An-cient and Accepted Scottish RiteFreemasonry of the Republic ofthePhilippines.

Fr. Aglipay proceeded toappointFr.EustaquioGallardoasVicarGeneralofVigan.TheArch-bishopofManiladeclaredthatFr.Aglipay incurred excommunica-tion.


BRO. ISABELO DE LOS REYES

Bro. Isabelo de los Reyes,Sr. was responsible for the for-mal launching of the PhilippineIndependent Church (PIC). HewasthemovingspiritwhobackedupFr.Aglipay’s ecclesiasticalpo-sition. It was Bro. de los Reyeswho wrote the official books ofthe church and almost pushedthechurchbeyondProtestantismthat isunto rationalism. Bro. Is-abelowasborn inViganon June7,1861andstudied in theViganSeminary.HegraduatedasaNo-taryatage22butwastooyoungto legallyexercisehisprofession.Bro.DelosReyesisknownforhisworkinPhilippineFolklore.

Bro.DelosReyes,Sr.said,“Let us now form without vacilla-tion our own congregation – a Fil-ipino Church conserving all that is good in the Roman Church.. the moral purity and sacredness of the Doctrines of Christ.” The Phil-ippines CallingwriterL.C.Cornishpenned:“Looking back it appears inevitable that the leaders in their last fight for freedom from Spain should have planned for a Nation-al Free Church, to be independent from foreign dominance just as the state was to be independent. It was to be Episcopal in organi-zation, independent and national in scope. Behind it were the suf-ferings through more than three

centuries of suppression by the Spanish friars, heart-felt yearnings and down through the years the prayers of countless men for liber-ation, all forming a true apostolic succession. Technically it was new; actually it began far back with the mass baptism, and the Filipinos’ gradual acceptance of the teach-ings of Christ. It took courage and faith to launch it on troubled seas.”

Bro.IsabeldelosReyes,Sr.latersaid:The Friars are our eter-nal enemies and must be expelled. The Pope is the head of the friars and has always refused to acknowl-edge the rights of the Filipino cler-gy. Therefore, we must secede from the Pope and form a church which will be ruled exclusively by Filipi-nos.

Bro. De los Reyes was anuncompromisinglaborleaderandhistorian. He announced the es-tablishment of a Filipino ChurchindependentfromRomewithBro.AglipayastheSupremeBishoponAugust03,1903duringtheDemo-craticLaborUnionmeetingattheCentro de Bellas Artes. The newChurchwascalledIglesia Filipina Independente (Philippine Inde-pendentChurch).The announce-ment was well received. TheschismwithRomecommenced.

BRO. APOLINARIO MABINI

OnOctober22,1899,Bro.


ApolinarioMabinidirectedaman-ifesto to theFilipinoclergy, thus:“Let the Filipino clergy show their zeal and love for the Church; let them show their capacity to gov-ern not only the parishes but also the diocese; let them show that the regular orders are not needed in the Philippines to maintain alive the faith in the Catholic Religion, and the Pope who cannot separate from justice as a Vicar of Christ who is God has to recognize the rights and merits of the Filipino priest. This is the most opportune occasion which Divine Providence offers them to obtain the repara-tion of their grievances: those who aspire to be something more than mere coadjutors and pages must not let this occasion pass.”

Bro.Mabiniisregardedasthe“BrainoftheRevolution.”Hewas theheadofBro.Aguinaldo’sFirst Cabinet, an author, lawyerand philosopher. He was initiat-edinSeptember1892inBalagtasLodge No. 149, Gran Oriente Es-pañol.

The Philippine Indepen-dentChurchisasterlingremnantof the contribution of a struggleagainstSpanishcolonialdomina-tion.Asaninfantchurch,shehadits historical birth pains. None-theless, shewithstood the lashesof time and the criticism of thedominantchurch.

BRO. GREGORIO L. AGLIPAY

Bro.AglipaywasordainedRomanCatholicpriestin1890andwasexcommunicatedin1899.Hewas initiatedonMay03,1918 inMagdaloLodgebyaGrandLodgeteam headed by Grand MasterManuelL.Quezon,MWRafaelPal-ma(GM1920)andBro.EmilianoTriaTirona.

Bro. Aglipay joined thePhilippineBodies,andearnedthe32nddegree.

On April 29, 1899, Arch-bishop Bernardino Nozaledacharged Bro. Aglipay with usur-pation of power. The Ecclesiasti-cal Tribunal issued a decree ex-communicatingBro.Aglipay.Bro.Aglipay returned the complimentby excommunicating ArchbishopNozaleda.

OntheJesuitside,Forarada,aSpaniardandanauthorofabookabout the Philippinesworked onBro.Aglipay. ActingasbridgeforreconciliationwereBros.Dr.LeonMa.GuerreroandJoaquinLuna.IttookFatherForaradafourdaysinpersuadingBro.AglipaytoreturntoCatholic fold. On the fifthday,Fr. Forarada handed Bro. Aglipayadocumentforhissignature.Bro.Aglipaystudiedthedocument.Hewantedanassurancethatbysign-ingthedocument,theproblemoftheFilipinoCatholicpriestswould


besolved.

Bro. Aglipay remarked:“With closed eyes I would sign this document, not for servile gallantry, but for consolidating the religious peace in my country. But, can you assure me, Father, that with the publication of this document the situation of the Friars in the coun-try will be saved? Can you guaran-tee at least that with the signing of this document the problem of the native priests will be solved?”

Fr.Foraradareplied:“Why do you mind so much the Filipino priests, since all the world knows that they are vicious and hopeless-ly inefficient?”

Bro. Aglipay lost his tem-perandlungedatFr.Forarada.Heheldhimbythenapeandberatedhim: “Either you withdraw that odious calumny, Father Forarada, or at this moment I’ll forever end all your slanderous impertinences.”

Thearrogantandimperti-nentJesuitpriestfellonhisknees,claspinghishands.Bros.Guerreroand Luna, came to help the em-battled Jesuit. Still furious, Bro.Aglipay declared: “Do not inter-vene in this affair, for it is not your concern. Remember that the blood of your brother is still fresh in our fields. If that precious blood had been shed, if our Revolution took place, it was because of the system

of spoliation practiced by Rome, which drove our people to risk all perils and sacrificed to emancipate our land from monastic oppres-sion. A so-called representative of Christ, this man, instead of deplor-ing the monstrous blunders of fri-arocracy, of which he is a member, still insists in offending in my face the scared dignity of our race.”

Stillfumingwithrage,Bro.Aglipayblurtedout toFr.Forara-da: “Your provocative insults took off the mask of your face! I am now convinced that the ecclesiastical authorities of Rome are incapable of dealing justly with the Filipinos. Now, I leave this building, and bear in mind that within three days you will hear from this Filipino priest named Aglipay. By that time you will learn how to respect the char-acter and efficiency of the Filipinos, for I will prove that we are able not only to administer dioceses, but also to establish modern churches free from all foreign interference.”

Years later, the Jesuitstasked Fr. Joaquin Villalonga todiplomaticallyurgedBro.AglipaytoreturntotheCatholicfold.SaidFr.Villalonga,“The Pope was inter-ested in avoiding religious schism. Furthermore, anything you ask will be granted by His Holiness, on condition that you help bring to an end the schismatic movement you initiated.”


Bro. Aglipay humbly re-plied: “As for me, I do not want anything, because it is enough for me to look at the mountains of my country to make me feel that I am the richest man in the world. I only ask justice and sincere love for my people. The Philippine In-dependent Church, of which I am the head is spreading throughout the Archipelago and its objects is no other than the reestablishment of the rational worship of the only one God in all His splendor, and at the same time to prove to the world the ability of the Filipinos to enjoy an independent religious life.”

CONCLUDING WORDS

In 2005, during the in-cumbency of Grand Master Her-mogenes Ebdane, 33rd SGIG, oneof the invitedspeakers in the in-terfaith service was Bishop Ra-mentoofthePhilippineIndepen-dent Church, who was assignedinPampanga.AttheheightofthemassdemonstrationsattheHaci-endaLuisita,BishopRamentosid-edwiththeworkersandwasshotin coldblood inhis convent. Uptothepresent,thecasehasneverbeensolved.IconsiderthedeathofBishopRamentoasoneof themodernchallengesoftheera.

The contribution of thePhilippineRevolutiontowardsre-ligiousemancipationisverymuchfelt inourcountry.Theoldglory

ofthepastisstillembodiedinthelivesoftheFreemasonBrethren.

PastSeniorGrandLecturerandnowVenerableMasterofLu-zonBodiesIll.RobertAsuncionisan active member of the church.I thankhimforsharinghistoricalmaterialsaboutPIC.

Rev. Fr. Joel Porlares, ofMuogLodgeNo.89,isnowaBish-op and the Secretary General ofPIC.

Former Supreme Bishopof the Philippine IndependentChurch, Bishop Ephraim Fajuta-ganaisstillactiveintheministry.

Two revered Past GrandMasters MW Calixto O. Zaldivar(GM 1977), and MW RaymundoBeltran (GM 1988), campaignedfortheconstructionofthePICCa-thedralalongTaftAvenue.

Fr. Joseph Giaime, S.D.B.in his work “Too Many Religion Sects” writes: “Catholics shouldviewAglipayansasbrotherswithesteem and affection. They arebrotherswhohavebeen separat-edfromus…..”

Underthecanopyofheav-en,we are all God’s creation andwe are God’s children. Religiouspersuasionmayseparateandiso-late us from each other, but loveforeachothershouldbindus to-gether.


Jesus said: “You haveheardthat itwassaid, ‘Loveyourneighbor and hate your enemy.’ButItellyou:Loveyourenemiesandprayforthosewhopersecuteyou,thatyoumaybesonsofyour

Father inHeaven. He causeshissuntoriseonevilandgood,andsends rain on the righteous andtheunrighteous.”(Matt5:43-45).

Isay,Amen,somoteitbe.

From L to R: Ms. Jhez S. Escobia, VW Robert O. Asuncion, Bishop Ephraim Fajutagana, and VR Samuel P. Fernandez

Gregorio L. Aglipay

Apolinario Mabini


The 4 Generations of Malolos Masons“MW Pacifico B. Aniag’s Inspirational Speech during the Centennial Celebration

of Logia Malolos No. 46 at Manila Hotel, January 26, 2019”

The seed of Masonic ide-alsactuallywasplantedinMalo-los and in the province of Bula-can126yearsago,in1893,whenthreeprominentcitizensofMalo-loswere initiated intoaMasonicLodge inManila under the GranOriente Espanol. A year after, in1894,theythenestablishedLogiaCupang (named after the birth-placeofMarceloH.delPilar)un-derthejurisdictionof,andobedi-enceto,theGranOrienteEspanol.

And so, it happened thatafter all existing Masonic Lodg-es in the Philippines had beenunifiedandgavebirthtothefor-mation of The Most WorshipfulGrandLodgeofFreeandAccept-edMasonsofthePhilippines,thethenGrandMasterMWManuelL.Quezon in 1918 was petitionedbysomebrethrenofthedisband-edLogiaCupang ledby the thenProvincial Governor of Bulacan,NicolasBuendia,toformaLodgeunderthenewdispensation.Andayearafter,onJanuary28,1918aCharterwasgrantedandMalo-losLodgeNo.46wasconstitutedbyMWMiltonEarlSpringer.

Andaswenowcommem-orateandcelebratethe100years

of existence and labors ofMalo-los Lodge No. 46, we thank theGreat Architect of the UniverseforthemanyblessingHehasbe-stowed upon the Lodge and thebrethrenwhohave traveled longand rugged roads andwho havegoneandpassedthiswaybefore.

For my purpose tonight,letmedividethecolorfulhistoryofMalolosLodgeNo.46intofourgenerations that would describethelegacythathasbeenetchedintheannalsofhistoryoftheentireprovinceofBulacan.

The first generation ofMasons in Bulacan were practi-callytherulersandgovernorsoradministrators of the province.From Governor Nicolas BuendiawhowasformanyyearstheWor-shipfulMasterofMalolosLodge,someotherMasonslikePastMas-ter Jacinto Molina also becameGovernor. Many government of-ficials especially the Treasurerwhichwasthenamostimportantposition, were held by Masons.That generation culminated intheperiodduring the framingofthe1935Constitution,whereBu-lacanwasrepresentedbyMasons.


The second generationsaw the Japanese war when la-borsoftheLodgeweresuspend-edforaboutthree(3)yearsfrom1942-44.Whentheworksof theLodge resumed, Masons thenwere prominent in the rebuild-ing of the devastation that wasbrought about by the war. Ma-sonsofthatgenerationwerealsoleaders in the rebirth of socialand community activities of thecitizens. Social and Civic clubsthat were being organized wereheaded by Masons. The Rotary,Jaycees, Lions, Soroptomist, 3-HClubs, Professional and Tradegroups like the Medical Soci-ety, Parents-Teachers Associa-tions,andmanyotherlocalsocialgroupswereorganizedandledbyMasons.Masonsweresoactiveincommunity and social activitiesthat they becamenoticedby theCatholicChurchhierarchysothatcriticism about Masonic inten-tions came into the forefront ofnegative attack from the Churchthatresultedintoalmostpersecu-tion.ManyCatholicMasonswhohad died were denied rites andblessingsfromtheChurch.

Then came the third gen-eration Masons. By that peri-od, Malolos Lodge had been inexistence for 65 years alreadybut was then the only MasonicLodge in the entire province ofBulacan. The province of Cavite

thenhadalreadyabout20Lodg-es. And Nueva Ecija whose firstlodge Cabanatuan No. 53 wasformedbybrethrenfromMalolosalreadyhadmorethan10Lodgesthen.Andsothebrethrenofthatgeneration took the courage toorganizeand formLodges in theothertownsoftheprovince.FirsttobeorganizedwasM.H.delPi-larNo.272inMeycauayan.ThenCupangLodgeNo.295inBulacantown,andLodgeNo.301inBali-uag.Therearenow13charteredLodgesintheentireprovinceandone Under Dispensation. It wasperhapsbecauseof this effortofthosebrethrenofthatgenerationthat produced the first and sofar theonlyGrandMasterof theGrand Lodge of the Philippinesthat came from the province ofBulacan.

Andthisperiodweare innow represents the fourth gen-eration of Masons. This genera-tionwantstoimprovethemselvesfurther inMasonry that they in-volvedthemselvesandtheirfam-ilies in causing appendant andallied bodies to be organized inBulacan thereby endeavoring tocompletetheMasonicFamily.WeareseeingtheemergenceofScot-tishRite&YorkRiteFreemason-ry, youth organizations such asDeMolay and Rainbow for Girls,and allied organizations such asShrinersandSecretMonitor.You,


whoareallgatheredheretonight,celebrating and commemoratingthe100yearsofFreemasonry intheprovinceofBulacan,togetherwith the futureMasons (ask Pe-titioners to stand)willwrite thecontinuinghistoryofourCraftinthispartofourjurisdiction.What

youaredoingnowandwillbedo-inginthefuturewillbeetchedinthe annals of the history of ourbelovedfraternitysothattogeth-erwewill allmark the continu-ingLegacyofFreemasonryintheProvinceofBulacan.


WHAT IS FREEMASONRY?VR Samuel P. Fernandez

(SpeechDeliveredduringtheInstallationofWBRosbertoT.BanaandOffi-cersofIllanaBayMasonicLodgeNo.274,PagadianCity,February23,2019)

The late Rev. Dr. NormanVincent Peale, 33rd once wrote“Freemasonry…supplements faith in God the Creator …a good Mason is made even more faithful to the tenets of his faith by his member-ship in the Lodge.” On the otherhand, Bishop Carl J. Sanders ofthe United Methodist Church inAlabama observed thus: “I have found no conflict between my Ma-sonic beliefs and my Christian faith. I have not found and do not now find Freemasonry is incompatible with Christian faith and practice.” Confess Rabbi Seymour Atlas,33rd of Beth Judah Synagogue inNew Jersey: “I am proud to be a Mason who believes in the digni-ty of God’s children and opposes hatred and bigotry, and stands for truth, justice, kindness, integ-rity and righteousness for all.” Dr.JamesP.Wesberry,33rd,ExecutiveDirectorandEditoroftheSundayGeorgia Baptist Center posited:“Masonry respects every man’s right to the religion of his choice and never claims or desires to be any man’s religion or a substitute for it. Masonry helps and encour-ages a man to be a better church member and a good church mem-ber usually makes a good Mason.”

Freemasonsarerenownedinmanydemocraticcountriesaswell as in monarchial govern-ments. In theUnited States,Bro.and General George Washingtonis known as the “Father in hisCountry”. In Italy, GrandMasterGiuseppe Garibaldi is creditedto have united the quarrelsomeindependent states of his coun-try. Bro. Rev. FatherHidalgo ofMexico,aRomanCatholicpriest,foughtforlibertyandtoppledtheSpanishconquerorsofhistime.

It is quite difficult to talkabout history of the PhilippineRepublicwithout citing the con-tributionsofMasonicGreatswhoshedtheirbloodthatwemayseethedawnoflibertyandfreedom.In thePropagandaandReforma-tion eras, Freemasons dominat-ed the scene. Anyhistorianwillrecognize the names of: Jose P.Rizal,MarceloH.delPilar,AndresBonifacio, Graciano Lopez Jaena,JuanLuna,JoseMa.Basa,AntonioRegidor, Ladislao Diwa, EmilioF. Aguinaldo, Manuel L. Quezon,JoseP.Laurel,andManuelA.Rox-as,andmanyothers.

There is no other frater-nitythatcanboastofanarrayof


famousleadersblazingthefrater-nalfirmament.

Sowhat really is in Free-masonry that attracts men ofsuchcalibre?

AmbroseBierce,authorofThe Devil Dictionarystates:

“Freemasons,n. Anorderwith secret rites, grotesque cer-emonies and fantastic costumes,which, originating in the regionofCharles II, amongworkingar-tisansofLondon,hasbeenjoinedsuccessively by the dead of pastcenturies inunbrokenretrogres-sionuntilnowitembracesallthegenerationsofmanonthehithersideofAdamandisdrummingupdistinguishedrecruitsamongthepre-CreationalinhabitantsofCha-osandFormlessVoid.Theorderwas founded at different timesby Charlemagne, Julius Caesar,Cyrus, Solomon, Zoroaster, Con-fucius, Thothmes, and Buddha.Its emblems and symbols havebeen found in the Catacombs ofParisandRome,onthestonesofthe Parthenon and the ChineseGreatWall,amongthetemplesofKarnak and Palmyra and in theEgyptianPyramids–alwaysbyaFreemason.”

This definition shows themasonicmystique,glamour,fasci-nation and appeal. Ask anyMa-sonthemeaningofFreemasonryandyouwillfinddifferentmean-

ingsastherearemembersintheFraternity.

From Merriam-WebsterDictionary, we have this defini-tion:A“FreemasonisamemberofasecretfraternalsocietycalledFreeandAcceptedMasons.”

Inthe1980’sRomanCath-olicprelatesandProtestant con-servative elements again madeFreemasonry their favorite sub-ject for speculation. This situa-tioncalledfortheGrandLodge’scollegialdefinition.

Forouredificationanden-lightenment,letmecitetwodefi-nitions:

“Freemasonry is an insti-tution essentially philanthropicandprogressive,whichhasforitsbasistheexistenceofGodandtheimmortalityofthesoul.Ithasforitsobjecttheexerciseofbenevo-lence, thestudyofuniversalmo-rality, and thepracticeof all vir-tues.” (Constitution Grand Orient of France)

“Oneof theoldestsecularfraternalsocieties…asocietyofmenconcernedwithspiritualval-ues. Itsmembers are taught itspreceptsbyaseriesofritualdra-mas,which followancient formsand use stonemasons’ customs,tools as allegorical guides. Theessentialqualification foradmis-sionandcontinuingmembershipis a belief in a Supreme Being.


Membership is open to men ofanyraceorreligionwhocanful-fillthisessentialqualificationandareofgoodrepute…”(1984 Unit-ed Grand Lodge of England Board of General Purpose)

May I quote from an un-knownauthoraclippinginana-tional daily entitled “Freemason-ry.”

“ThefraternityofFreeandAccepted Masons is the oldest,largest and most widely knownfraternal organization in theworld. Masonry is the scienceand art or right living. As a sci-ence it discovers and classifiesthose principles which are con-cernedinupright,moralconduct.The art is the expressionof thatscience in daily life and action.Freemasonry,morethananythingelse,isawayoflife-makinggoodmenbetter.Freemasonsaremenfromeverywalkoflife. Inshort,everytradeandprofessionisrep-resentedinthefraternity.

“Freemasonry has alwayswelcomed men of all faiths andreligiousbeliefstoenteritsdoors.TheonlyrequirementisforgoodmentobelieveintheSupremeAr-chitectandtheimmortalityofthesoul.TheprinciplesofourFrater-nityarebasedonthesamemoralabsolute that form the founda-tionofalltruefaith.EveryMasonmustbelieveinaSupremeBeing.Hemust strive to livemorally in

accordancewiththehigheststan-dardsofindividualcharacterandsocialconduct.Consequently,ev-eryMasonabidesbythe“GoldenRule,”howeverstated,andlaborsin all aspects of his life to fulfillFreemasonry’sgoalsofcharityinbothsensesoftheworld–philan-thropytothoseinneedandlovingbrotherhoodforallhumankind.

“Unfortunately, our pur-poseaswellasourveryexistenceisquestionedbytheuninformed.They fail to see thatMasons areinvariablychurchgoingmenwhoextendthepreceptsoftheirfaithbeyondtheirSabbathtoeverydayof their lives. Theyworkwithintheir churches in their commu-nitiesforthebettermentoftheirfellowmen.

“Masonry has attractedto its foldmen of noble impuls-es, people of every station andoccupation. Manyof thesewerepatriots,heroesandmartyrs,realgreatleadersineducationandre-ligion, in politics, in business, inindustry and commerce, distin-guishedofficersandcitizens.”

Bro. Rizal, in hisMasonicSpeech, advocated the following:“Thedutyofmodernman tomyway of thinking is to work forthe redemption of humanity, be-causeoncemanisdignifiedtherewould be less unfortunate andmorehappymenthatispossiblein this life. Humanity cannotbe


redeemed so long as there areoppressed peoples, so long asthereare somemenwho liveonthetearsofmany,solongasthereareemasculatedmindsandblind-edeyesthatenableotherstolivelikesultanswhoalonemayenjoybeauty. Humanity cannot be re-deemedwhilereasonisnot free,whilefaithwouldwanttoimposeitself on fact, while whims arelaws,andwhiletherearenationswhosubjugateothers...”

ABrotherMasonsumma-rizedmasonicteachings,thus:

The Masonic TeachingsMan’s first duty is to love and

serve God.

Implore His aid in all laudable undertakings.

Seek His guidance through prayer.

Embrace and practice the tenets of a religion.

Extend charity and sympathy to all mankind.

Shield and support the widow and orphan.

Defend virtue.Respect the aged.

Honor the bonds of friendship.Protect the helpless.

Lift up the oppressed.Comfort the downcast.

Restore dignity to the rejected.Respect the laws of government.

Promote morality, and

Add to the common stock of humanity’s knowledge and under-

standing.

Freemasonry transcendsnarrow-mindedness and intol-erance, and creates a bridge ofunderstanding, discernment andperceptionthroughitsteachings.

Misunderstood, miscon-strued, misjudged, Freemasonshavestoodthetestoftimeinpro-motingBrotherlyLove,ReliefandTruth.

Bro. E. Larsen summedit up in a little piece entitled:“BuildingBridges.”

“People, like islands,needbridges – a way to cross over,speak, reach, see,overall that si-lentwater.Itistheonlyway.Be-cause people aren’t people, notreal people,without that bridge,andtheonlyaction,theonlyREALaction, takesplaceon thebridgebetweenpeople.SoifIwait,youwait,everyonewaits;whenIdon’tstart,youdon’tstart.Nobodyar-rives. No builders, no bridges.Themeaningoftheworlddoesn’tchange, it always stays the same– same hopes, same challenges,same tragedies, same fears andvictories. What does change ismy involvement with it – myawareness, my understanding,my growth. And growth is onlya deepening of what passes be-tweenyouandme–whatpassesonthebridge.”


MWRayV.Denslow,GrandMaster of the Grand Lodge ofMissouri in 1931 and a famousauthorofmanybooksonFreema-sonry,wroteapoeticalpieceen-titled“IAmFreemasonry”whichI feelaptlyanswersthequestion“WhatIsFreemasonry?”

“I was born in antiquity, in the ancient days when men first dreamed of God. I have been tried through the ages, and found true. The crossroads of the world bear the imprint of my feet, and the ca-thedrals of all nations mark the skill of my hands. I strive for beau-ty and for symmetry. In my heart is wisdom and strength and cour-age for those who ask. Upon my altars is the Book of Holy Writ, and my prayers are to the One Omnip-otent God. My sons work and pray together, without rank or discord, in the public mart and in the inner chamber. By signs and symbols, I teach the lessons of life and of death, and the relationship of man with God and of man with man.

My arms are too widespread to re-ceive those of lawful age and good report who seek me of their own free will. I accept them and teach them to use my tools in the building of men, and thereby find direction in their own quest for perfection so much desired and so difficult to at-tain. I lift up the fallen and shelter the sick. I hark to the orphan’s cry, the widow’s tears, the pain of the old and destitute. I am not church, nor party, nor school, yet my sons bear a full share of responsibility to God to country, to neighbor and themselves. They are freemen, te-nacious of their liberties and alert to lurking danger. At the end I commit them as each one under-takes the journey beyond the vale into the glory of everlasting life. I ponder the sand within the glass and think how small is a single life in the eternal Universe. Always have I taught immortality, and even as I raise men from darkness into Light, I am a way of life.

“I am Freemasonry.”

Illana Bay Masonic Lodge No. 274, Pagadian City


MASONRY IN ZAMBOANGAby VW Antonio A. Espinosa, PDDGM

THE EARLY SPANISH LODGES

Masonry in Zamboangahaditsbeginningsbetween1856and 1860, when two Spanishnaval officers, Jose Malcampo yMongeandCastroMendezNuñezorganizedaLodgeinZamboangaand like the one previously or-ganized in1856byMalcampo inCavite,wasundertheauspicesoftheGranOrienteLusitañoofPor-tugal.In1879,agroupofSpanishmasons under the direction ofRufinoPascualTorrejon,whowasempoweredtoorganizemasonryin thePhilippinesbytheOrientedeEspaña,formedanucleuscon-sisting of four Lodges inManila,oneinIloilo,oneinCebu,twoinCavite, and one in Zamboanga.TheoneinZamboanga,afterhav-ing been re-organized, becameknownas “La Fraternidad.” “TheCabletow” of September-Decem-ber 1986 on page 6, tell also oftheexistenceofanotherLodgeinZamboangacalled, “LaPrimordi-alNo. 106,” also under the GranOriente de España and furthermentionedthatthethenmayorofZamboanga, Isidro Lopez Grado,wasitsfirstMaster.

FORT PILAR

The author of the samearticle in“TheCabletow”ofSep-tember-December 1986, presup-posesthattheLodge“LaPrimor-dial”musthavemetatFortPilar.ThisFort,whichatpresentisoneof the tourist attraction in thecity,wasnamedafter“LaNuestraSeñora del Pilar de Zarragoza.”It was originally conceived andbuiltin1635asabulwarkagainstpiratical incursions; abandonedin1665,butwasagainrebuilt in1718. Fort Pilar was the head-quarters of the SpanishArmy inthe South until the Americanstookoverin1899.

Thereasoninfavoroftheassumption that Fort Pilar wasthe home of the Lodge “La Pri-mordial”isbasedonthefactthatduring its existence, Masonry inSpainwason “topof theworld.”Aftertheoverthrowofthemonar-chy,MasonsbelongingtotheGranOrientedeEspaña,landedontoppositions in thegovernment.Es-peciallybenefitedbytheseeventswas therefore the Gran OrientedeEspaña.InthePhilippinesthereturnofJoseMalcampoyMonge,now an Admiral, as GovernorGeneral,causedthedissolutionoflodges and their re-organization


under the auspices of the GranOriente de España. This Lodgeunder this Gran Oriente musthave enjoyed official blessingsand therefore could havemet attheFortifthememberswereof-ficers and men stationed at theFort. It would have been mostconvenient forthem, if theyheldtheir meetings there, than any-whereelseinthevicinity.

It should be noted thattheselodgesthatwereorganizedduring the period from 1856 to1888 hardly stressed Masonicprinciplesorteachings,butexist-edmainlyforpurposes.InspiteoftheuniversalityofMasonry,lodgeactivities were confined amongpeninsular Spaniards, withoutparticipationfromthenativeres-identsofthetown.

FILIPINO LODGES DURING THE SPANISH ERA

The Filipinos who wentabroadbecame,assoonaspossi-ble,initiatesinthemasoniclodg-es ofMadrid, Barcelona, LondonandParis.Theorganizationofthelodge “LaRevolucion”byGracia-no Lopez Jaena in 1889was thefirststeptowardsthebeginningsofPhilippineMasonry.

With the organization ofPhilippine Masonry abroad, thenextstepasplannedbytheseFil-ipino Masons, was to bring the

teachingsofmasonrytothepeo-pleinthePhilippinesandorganizelodgesinManilaandintheprov-inces. These would constitute,together with those lodges thatwere organized abroad, a unitedfrontagainsttheoppressionofthepeopleinthePhilippines.Andsoitwastherealizationofthisplan,that in1890,PedroSerranoLak-tao, following instructions fromMarceloH. del Pilar, returned toManilaandwiththeassistanceofFilipinomasonsinitiatedabroad,organized lodgesundertheGranOriente Español. Many eminentFilipinos were initiated in theselodges,sothat,ontheirreturntotheir respective provinces, theyalso started organizing trianglesorMasonicclubs.Onesuchtrian-glewasorganizedinZamboanga,thePulongBatoNo.71.Unfortu-nately, during the period of ter-rorism and chaos that precededthechangeofsovereignfromtheSpanishtotheAmericans,thede-tails, as to whether this trianglewas later organized into lodgesand the names of the brethrenresponsible for its organizationwerelostandforgotten.

ORGANIZATION OF THE MT. APO LODGE NO. 45

WhentheAmericanstookpossession of these Islands, theLodges under the Gran OrienteEspañol in Luzon, went through


aperiodofre-organizationwhichfinally resulted in the formationof the Regional Grand Lodge ofthe Philippines under the juris-dictionofthesameGranOriente.TheAmericanstoo,werenotidle.WiththethreeLodgespreviouslyorganizedunder the jurisdictionoftheGrandLodgeofCalifornia,they formed theGrandLodgeofthe Philippine Islands in 1912.TherewerethentwoGrandLodg-esofdifferentConstitutions–theLatin and the American. In asmuchasdisharmonywillalwaysensuewith the existence of twodistinct and sovereign bodies, afusionofthetwowaseffectedin1917.TheRegionalGrandLodgeof the Philippineswas dissolvedand the twenty-nine Lodges un-der it, whose members weremostly Filipinos, affiliated withthe Grand Lodge of the Philip-pines.

The minutes of the Stat-edMeetingofMt.ApoLodgeNo.45,ofMay10,1960,recordsthat,WBJamesJ.Wilson,PM,whowaspresent in that meeting narrat-edhowtheLodgewasorganizedsome“forty-twoyearsago.”

It started, he said, as asojourner’s club. Some of themembers were army personnelstationedatthenearbyPettitBar-racks (the US Army InstallationsurroundingFortPilar)andsome

were American civilian residentsofthetownofZamboanga.TherewasBro.ColHenryGilhouser,PM,whobecameMasteroftheLodgein1921andagainin1923;andin1950 he became the first GrandSecretaryGeneraloftheSupremeCouncilof theScottishRiteFree-masonryinManila.TherewasWBFrankRedding, PM,who becameMaster in1925.Hewasa lawyerandwasalsoengagedinthelum-berbusiness. In1944during theJapanese occupation, WB Red-ding,atage78,had to trek,withsix others, from Zamboanga tonorthern Mindanao to rendez-vouswithanAmericansubmarinetoescapefromtheJapanese.Thenthere was the narrator whowas93 years old at that time, --WBJamesJardineWilson,PM,orBro.“JJ”,tohisbrethrenandintimates.Hewasthe“Charter”MasterofMt.ApoLodgeNo.45in1918,aswellasitsfirstelectedMasterin1919.WB “JJ” was born in Polmont,Scotland,onOctober10,1867andwasRaisedtotheDegreeofMas-terMasoninJanuary27,1890inFalkirk,Scotland.In1898hewasnaturalized as an American citi-zen,aftermigratingtotheU.S.A.in1891.HejoinedPentalphaLodgeNo. 316, under the jurisdictionof theGrandLodge of California,inLosAngeles,California.Duringthe American-Spanish war, hejoinedtheU.S.Armyandwassendto the Philippines. After his dis-


charge, he came to Zamboangaandsetupthefirststeamoperat-edIceandColdStoragePlant,theremaining structures of whichcanstillbeseentodayatthebackoftheAristocratRestaurant(Theplace is now a vacant along SanJoseRoad.)

Afterthefusionofthetwogrand lodges in Manila in 1917,the members of the Sojourner’sClub of Zamboanga applied forLettersTemporaryfortheforma-tionofaLodge.TheLettersTem-porarywasgrantedonFebruary6, 1918. After a year, as a resultoftheirMasoniclabors,aCharterwasissuedbytheGrandLodgeofFreeandAcceptedMasonsofthePhilippineson January28,1919.The name “Mt. Apo” was cho-sen after a prominentMindanaolandmarklocatedinDavao,whichplace at the time was governedfrom Zamboanga, it being, theMWMiltonE.Springer,theGrandMaster of Masons, came all theway to Zamboanga by boat andinampleceremoniesconstitutedMt.ApoLodgeNo.45 inApril7,1919.

Among the first Filipinosthat were initiated in the newLodgein1919,wasMWJuanSa-longaAlano,PGM.Hebecamethefirst Filipino Master of Mt. ApoLodgeNo.45in1924.MWAlanowasborn inMalolos,Bulacanon

February8,1891.Afterobtaininghis licentiate in Commerce fromtheAteneodeManilaandhisABDegreefromtheUniversityofSto.Tomas,hesailedforIlo-ilowherehegainedemploymentasaclerkin an American law office. Ex-posed to the legalprofession,hededicatedhimselftothestudyoflawandpassed thebar in1914.His Ilo-ilo sojourn netted himalsoawife,-theformerRamonaTorres.Beingbothaudacious,thecouple migrated to Zamboangawhere in a few years, throughfrugality and industry, becamevery successful in their endeav-ors. For many years, MW Alanowas a member of the House ofRepresentatives, representingZamboanga. The culmination ofhis achievements was perhapsattained when in 1961, he wasinstalledasGrandMasterofMa-sonswhile on awheelchair con-valescingfromastroke.

From the constitution oftheLodgein1919,totheoutbreakof World War II in 1941, manyprominent residents of Zambo-anga saw the lights of Masonryin Mt. Apo Lodge. Among themwere,WBNicasioValderrosa,PM,whobecameMasterin1929andwas subsequently crowned Sov-ereign Grand Inspectors Generalin the Scottish Rites of Freema-sonry.WBNic, as hewas fondlycalled by the brethren, became


theMayorwhenZamboangawaschartered into a City, the firstMayor of Baguio City and afterthewar,thefirstMayorofBasilanCity. Bro. Florentino Saguin wasa lawyer, who represented Zam-boangainthefirstconstitutionalconvention. Then therewas,WBMarcelo Mendoza, Sr., PM, whohailedfromBulacanandbecameMasterin1931.Hewasforalongtime, the collector of customs oftheportofZamboanga.Andfinal-ly, VW Pablo Sebastian, PDDGM,a native born Zamboangueñoandatpresent,atninety,theold-est living member of the Lodge.VW “Pabs” was the secretary oftheLodge forover twentyyears.HewasaCaptain in theUSAFFEduring the War and was Raisedto the SublimeDegreeofMasterMasonjustbeforetheoutbreakoftheWar,in1941.

The growth of the Craftwasbroughttoahaltbytheoccu-pationoftheCityanditsenvironsby the Japanese.The lastMasterbefore the occupation was WBGenaroRuste, alsoanativebornZamboangueño who was RaisedinMt.ApoLodge.

MASONRY IN ZAMBOANGA AF-TER THE WAR

After the liberationof theCity,withthematerialandfinan-cial assistance from members

MasonsoftheUSArmy,theLodgewas again revived and its mem-berswhosurvived thewarreor-ganized. WB Genaro Ruste, whowasunabletoservehisfullterm,didnotsurvivethewar.ThefirstMasterafterthewarin1945wasWBLeonBarinaga,PM,anativeofDipologbutaresidentofthisCity.ItwasthroughhiseffortsthattheLodgewasagainre-organizedandrevitalized.All recordshadtobereconstituted, as none survivedtheWar. It was during this timethat MW Jose Locsin Araneta,PGM, demitted from “KasilawanLodgeNo.77”inManilaandaffil-iatedwithMt.ApoLodge.Healsoassistedinthetremendousworkofrehabilitation.Asarewardforhiswork,themembersmadehimMasterin1952.HewascrownedSovereign Grand Inspector Gen-eraloftheSupremeCounciloftheScottish Rite of Freemasonry in1966andbecametheGrandMas-terofMasonsin1976.

Although the Lodge Hallwas just being rented, which atthat timewas located at the oldP.J.MooreBuilding(laterGermanWeeSitBldg.,nowsitstheSouth-wayMallonGov.LimAvenue.Theperiod after the liberation wasmarked by the rapid growth oftheLodge–bothinmembershipsaswell as in finances. In the lat-terpartof thefiftiestotheearlysixtiesthemembersoftheLodge


were instrumental in spreadingthelightsofMasonrybyassistingintheorganizationoftheLodgesinBasilan,PagadianandDipolog.Itwasduringthesetimesthat,thepassageoftheNoliandFiliBillaswell as the filipinization of theheadsofprivateschools,collegesanduniversities,exacerbatedtheold controversies between thedominant Church and Masonry.Themembersof theLodgeweremilitantlyadvocatingforthepas-sage of these Bills, WB CandidoSanLuiswastheleader,andwithfinancial contributions from thebrethren, bought radio time tocounter the radio commentar-ies of the dominant Church. Themembers of the Lodge were ju-bilant when both these Bills be-cameLawoftheland.

In 1962, WB FranciscoLogan Johnston, PM, with theassistance of Bro. Eugenio Tab-aquera,asojournerfromaLanaoLodgewhowaswith theBureauofLands,acquiredaparceloflandat theeast reclaimedareaof theCity for the Lodge. The Mt. ApoMasonic Temple, Inc., previouslyorganized,wascalledupontoini-tiateinthebuildingoftheTemple.A building committee composedofcivilengineers,membersoftheLodge,wasformedandthebuild-ing plans prepared. On January28, 1963, both VW HermogenesOliveros, Senior Grand Lecturer,

andMWEstebanMunarriz,PGM,as a representative of the GrandMaster ofMasons came to Zam-boanga and officiated in the lay-ingofthecorner-stoneatthesite.

The Mt. Apo MasonicTemple, Inc., a stock corporationformed among the members ofthe Lodge, was organized forthe reason that, in the laterpartof 1961 the owner of the AlanoBuilding at Madrid Street (nowN.S. Valderrosa St., renamed af-ter WB “Nic”), where the LodgeHallwaslocatedsince1952,gavenotice that the building wouldberenovatedandthat theLodgeshouldvacatethepremises.Afterthe layingof thecorner-stoneorabout the firstweekofFebruary1963, the Lodge with its furni-ture, paraphernalia and recordsvacated the premises and trans-ferred temporarily to the resi-dence ofWBWilson adjacent tohisiceplantatSanJoseRoad.Oneof the conditions agreed uponthe owner and the Lodge wasthatthelatercanoccupyhisres-idenceuntiltheproposedTempleiscompleted.Inthestatedmeet-ing of October 1963 however,thebrethrenwasinformedbyanofficial letter fromtheCityEngi-neerthat,thebuildingplansthatwerepreviouslysubmittedtohisoffice,couldnotbeapproved forthereasonthatthesitewastobeusedbythenationalgovernment.


It seemed that misfortunes al-wayscameinpairs.InthestatedmeetingofNovemberofthesameyear,thebrethrenagainreceivednoticethattheyhadtovacatetheWilson Residence as the entireproperty had already been sold.The Lodge had to move again.This time to theGui-HoBuilding(Calixto Street) just behind theWilson Residence, by the sidefrontingtheold“Burleigh”schoolgrounds.

The decade of the sixtiesuptothefirstquarterofthesev-entiescouldbestbedescribedasyearsoffrustrationsandadversi-tiesforthemembersoftheLodge.Itwasaperiodofdecline,bothintherateofgrowthinmembershipaswellasinthezealandenthusi-asmof itsmembers.Thereweremonthswhere themembershadtobecalledbytelephoneinordertomeet the required number instatedmeetings.Within that pe-riodtheLodge,withall itsfurni-ture, paraphernalia and recordshad to move nine times, some-times going back to the samebuildingthrice.Notonlydidthesemovements cause the loss of re-cords and the dwindling of thefinancial resources of the Lodge,but the most serious result wasthat apathy and indifference be-gantocreepamongthemembersas there were no initiations forthesimplereasonthattherewere

noapplicants,oriftherewere,atbest itwould be about two only.That was the period when oneby one, the first generation ofdedicated and zealous brethrenwhowere thepillars ofMasonryinSouthernMindanao,startedtogo to that “undiscoveredcountryfrom whose bourne no travellerreturns”.

CONSTRUCTION OF THE MT. APO MASONIC TEMPLE

One evening, during thelasttermofWBLuisAlvarez,PM,as Master in 1974, the brethrenarriving at the LodgeHall (againlocatedatGermanWee-SitBldg.)for a stated meeting, were sur-prisedtofindthemaindoorlead-ing to theante-roomclosedwitha different padlock. They wereinformed by the janitor that theowner, awidow and a daughter-in-lawof aMason gave strict or-dersnottoallowtheMasonstheuse of the Lodge Hall. Since theLodgewasup-to-date inthepay-mentofitsrent,WBCandidoSanLuis, PM, a lawyer and a formerjudge,withtheassistanceofsomebrethrenforcedopenthepadlockandopenedthedoor.Thisactmusthavebeenreportedtotheowner,for,while the brethrenwere stillconversing in the ante-room, theowner arrived with her adoptedsonandsomeservants.Shebellig-erently confrontedWB San Luis,


whiletheadoptedsonattemptedtostrikeWBSanLuisfrombehindwith a piece of a three-quarterinchpipe.Thiswaspreventedbythetimelyinterventionofabroth-erwho took thepipeaway fromtheyoungman.Afterthemeeting,allthebrethrenwenttothePolicestationandreportedtheincident.The next day,WB San Luis filedthe necessary charges in courtagainsttheownerandheradopt-edson.

It was this incident thatshook up the lethargy that wasthen reigning among the mem-bers of the Lodge. In that statedmeeting, itwasresolvedtobuildaTemple and re-activate theoldMt.ApoMasonicTemple,Inc.thatwasorganizedin1961.Afinancecommittee composedof civil en-gineers, members of the Lodge,formedin1963,wasagainre-ac-tivated.

Inthemeantime,theown-er of the G. Wee-Sit Bldg. in anamicable settlement agreed topayWB San Luis the amount ofP5,000.00 to withdraw the caseagainstherandheradoptedson.This amountwas turnedover tothe finance committee, as seedmoney for the building fund.The amount of P115,000.00wasraisedfromsolicitationsandcon-tributions from the members; asubstantialamountofwhichwas

remitted by Bro. Luy Kim Guanfrom Manila. Bro. Abelardo (Pe-ter)Murga,anewlyraisedbroth-er, offeredhis lotof565 sq.m. atSta. Catalina near the Regional(formerly the General) Hospi-tal.Herequested thathebepaidP30,000.00 only, as he was do-nating thebalanceofP20,000.00to the building Fund. While thevarious activities relative to theraisingoffundsweregoingon,thebuilding committee chaired byWB Daniel Mallari, PM, togetherwith othermembers of his com-mittee were busy preparing theplansandconductingsoilbearingcapacity test on the site. Actualconstructionofthebuildingstart-edon the laterpart of 1975andthebuildingwascertifiedasreadyforoccupancyintheearlymonthsof1976.OnSeptember25,1976,in appropriate ceremonies withthe brethren and sojourners inattendance, the MW Jose L. Ara-neta,theGrandMasterofMasonsatthattimeandamemberofMt.ApoLodge,consecratedtheLodgeHalltothe“GloryofGod”andded-icatedit“tothePatronsoftheOr-der.”

The total cost of thebuilding amounted to aboutP443,000.00, while the solicita-tionsandcontributionsamountedto only P120,000.00. the balanceof P323,000.00 were advancedby WB Cheong Tu Boh, PM, in


the course of the construction.TooffsettheamounttheMt.apoMasonic Temple, Inc., represent-edby itsPresident,WBCandidoSan Luis, PM, executed a leaseagreement in 1977 allowing thecompany ofWBCheongTuBoh,the Asiatic Trading Corporation,the use of the ground floor fortwenty-five yearswith the latterpayingthereal-estatetaxesofthepropertyforthedurationoftheiroccupancy.

During the last years ofthetermofWBCarlosAguilarasMaster in1985, thesecondfloorofthebuildingwasimprovedandrenovated. A circular domewithoverhead lights was constructedover theAltar in theLodgeHall,and a roof over the ante-roomwas build. Five air-conditioningunits were installed inside theLodgeHall,sothatnow,brethrenwho desire to attend meetingswiththeircoatandtiecandosowithcomfort.

CONCLUSION

ItcanbetrulysaidthattheFraternity of free and AcceptedMasons in Zamboanga, after itstrials and tribulations of almostseven and a half decades have“come to the end of its toilsomejourney”. At last it has a perma-nent place that it can now callhome. The brethren can now

devote themselves to purelyMa-sonic labors; to the practice andpropagationofitstenets–broth-erly love, relief and truth. Youngand qualified brethren predom-inates the membership in theLodge.Wherebefore,therewasadearthofofficermaterialandpar-ticipantsinconferrals,nowexcel-lenceintheritualsseemtobetheprevailing norm. Every memberwithfewexceptions,seemstobekeenly interested in thework, sothatasaresultthepercentageofattendance in relation to the to-tal membership in all meetings,haveadmirablyincreased.Forthelastfouryearsascholarshippro-gram for indigentsbutdeservingstudents was placed into opera-tion.Onehasalreadyfinishedhisplumbing course, and the Lodgeisstillsupportingstudentstakingupvocationalcourses.

Like the Molave tree, theFraternity of Free and Accept-edMasons in Zamboanga standsproudandstrongandthereisnodoubt that it will endure the vi-cissitude that time may have instore for it. As it approaches itsseventy-fifthanniversaryonFeb-ruary6,1993,itsfoundingbreth-ren likeWBWilson,WBGilhous-er,MWAlanoandtherest,iftheycanbutlookfromwheretheyarenow,would beproud to see thatthe fruits of their labors – theBrethrenofMt.ApoLodgeNo.45


–havenotonlystoodasabulwarkagainst bigotry and intolerance,buthavetransmittedthetenetsofMasonrypureandunimpairedtomen of different faiths that nowbelong to the Lodge of southernPhilippines.

ZamboangaCity

January11,1993

PART II

THE LAST QUARTER CENTURY

1993-2018

Mount Apo Lodge No. 45,ever strong and solid, celebratedits75thFoundingAnniversaryonFebruary 6, 1993. Then DeputyGrandMaster RWRizal D. Apor-taderawasitsguestofhonorandspeaker. Itwas a simple celebra-tionthatstartedinthemorning.

TheLodgefirstconducteda“LodgeofRemembrance”inme-morialofourdepartedBrethren,followed by the unveiling of twocommemorative brass plates, byRWRizalD. Aportadera, assistedby Sister Dolly Alano Laconico,daughter of Past Grand MasterJuanS.Alano.

OneoftheplatesrecordedtheimportantdatesoftheLodge:TheInstitutionoftheLodgeunder

Dispensation by Grand MasterManuelL.QuezononFebruary6,1918;thegrantingofaCharterbytheGrandLodgeofthePhilippineIslandson January28,1919; theConstitution of this lodge into aregularMasonicLodgebyGrandMaster Milton E. Springer onApril 7, 1919, and theConsecra-tionandDedicationoftheLodgeHallofMountApoMasonicTem-plebyGrandMaster JoseL.Ara-netaonSeptember25,1976.

The other plate replicat-ed the proceedings of the April7, 1919 Special CommunicationoftheGrandLodgeofthePhilip-pines, recording the Grand Offi-cerspresentandtheConstitutionofMountApoLodgeNo.45.

Later in the day, a pub-lic installation of officers washeldat thePalmerasRestaurant.Deputy Grand Master RW RizalD. Aportadera, the guest of hon-orandspeaker,mentionedinhisspeech: “having only one lodgefor the past 75 years, Zamboan-gaCity is ripe for a newLodge.”That remark gave the newly in-stalled Master, WB Victor C. Ho,the inspiration to forma secondlodge in this city, which at thattime, petitioners were being re-jected senselessly, thereby caus-ing good men who may qualifyforthepurposetoshyawayfromMasonryforfeartheirgoodname


and reputation in society mightbe tarnished from such negativeaction.Theneedforanewlodgewas long overdue and the timewas indeed ripe foranew lodgethatwouldgivepetitionersabet-terchoiceoftwolodgestochoosefrom.

The Worshipful Masterstartedorganizingthenewlodgesoon after MW Rizal D. Aporta-deraassumedthegrandorientalchair. Inordernot todisturbthelaborsofMountApoLodgeNo.45,onlyafewoftheactivemembersweretapped,theotherswerein-activememberswhodoesnotat-tendlodgemeeting,togetherwithanothertwentyothersojournerswhowereresident in thiscity.Atotalof40MasterMasonsbelong-ingto12differentMasoniclodgessignedthepetition to formSam-boanganLodge.

Samboangan Lodge No.310wasissuedaDispensationtoassemble as a Lodge onOctober7, 1993. It was Instituted underDispensation by Grand MasterRizal D. Aportadera on Novem-ber 3, 1993. VW Suresh U. Par-manand,amemberofthisLodge,servedasitsDispensationMaster.the lodge was then perpetuatedwithaCharterandConstitutedaRegularMasonicLodgebyGrandMasterPabloC.Ko,Jr.onJune24,1994withVWLuisS.Alvarez,Jr.,

also a member of this lodge, in-stalledas itsCharterMaster.Thenew lodge holds its communica-tions every 4th Saturday of themonth at 5:00PM at the Sambo-anganMasonicTemplelocatedatDoña Nene Drive, Governor Ra-mosAvenue,Sta.Maria,thiscity.

Anotherlodgewasformedin 2013. Fairway Lodge No. 415wasformedby24MasterMasonscoming from 5 different Mason-ic lodges, among them, 12 werefrom Mount Apo Lodge No. 45.ThisnewlodgewasInstitutedun-der Dispensation by Grand Mas-ter Juanito G. Espino, Jr. on July5, 2013. TheGrand Lodge at the2015 ANCOM approved to grantthe new lodge a Charter, and onMay 22, 2015, GrandMaster To-masG.Rentoy,III,Constitutedthenewlodge intoaRegularMason-ic Lodge in appropriate ceremo-nieswithJosephF.Dy,amemberof Samboangan Lodge No. 310,serving as its Dispensation andCharter Master. This youngestlodgeholditscommunicationsattheSamboanganMasonicTempleevery2ndFridayofthemonthat5:00PM.

On October 27, 1976, Mt.ApoLodgeNo.45wasinstrumen-tal in sponsoring the firstDemo-lay Chapter in the ZamboangaPeninsula. The Demolay Chapterin Zamboangawas named James


J. Wilson Chapter, the namesakeof theFirstMasterof theLodge.In2012,theLaHermosaAssem-bly No. 28 of the InternationalOrder of Rainbow for Girls wasorganized and sponsored jointlybyMountApoLodgeNo.45,Sam-boanganLodgeNo.310, and theZamboanga City Court No. 30 ofthe Order of the Amaranth. TheSupreme Assembly, Internation-alOrderoftheRainbowforGirlsatMcAlester,Oklahoma, issuedaLetters Temporary to the Advi-soryBoardonNovember4,2012to form a Perfect Assembly. TheAssembly was granted a LettersPatent of Perpetual ConstitutionConfirmatoryonAugust9,2013,and Constituted on August 23,2013.MissMarjorieTanwas in-stalledasitsCharterWorthyAd-visor.

Mount Apo Lodge No. 45is fortunatetohavetwodedicat-edmemberswhowereresponsi-ble in moulding the brethren ofthis lodge towhatwe are today.We had Bro. Antonio A. Espino-sa, who served asMaster of thelodgein1964,apastdistrictdep-utygrandmaster,andpastjuniorgrandlecturer.ThenwestillhaveBro.JoseR.Luna,whoservedtwotermasMasterin1977and1978,alsoapastdistrictdeputygrandmasterandpastjuniorgrandlec-turer.

Antonio “Espi” Espinosawould often quote Albert Mack-ay’sMasonicJurisprudencetothebrethren for proper guidance inMasonic laws and the brethrenwould appreciate it. His lifetimededication to the craftplayedanimportant role to this lodge, notnecessarily for its growth, butrather in transmitting the pureprinciplesofFreemasonryto thenextgenerationMasons.

Jose “Ping” Luna, wouldprovide Masonic educations,mostlybasedonthe“MoralsandDogma”ofAlbertPike.Hewouldalso provide and instruct thebrethren on proper floorworksin our various Masonic rituals,havingundergoneseminarwork-shopsunderthetutelageofSeniorGrand LecturerVWHermogenesOliveros, who wrote the GrandLodge pamphlet “Basic Instruc-tionsforFloorWorksintheRitu-al.”Lunawouldoftenremindthebrethren that “constant wrongpracticemakesperfectwrong.”

Withinthepasttwentyfiveyears, Mt. Apo Masonic Templeunderwent several renovations.Among themajor oneswere theinstallationofceramictilesontheentire 2nd floor, replacement ofthetermiteinfestedwoodenstagein the East with a concrete one,andreplacementof thealmacigawoodwallingwith termiteproof


panelling. This was done duringthe termofVWSalvadorC.Weein2005.

TheAnteRoomwasreno-vatedduringthetermofWBJoelDS. Julio in 2016. The open sky-light was installed with a floorand a roof,whichnow serves askitchen and “smoking chamber”to thebrethren.Airconditionerswere installed at the main An-te-Room.

At the stated meeting ofMt.ApoLodgeNo.45onNovem-ber 19, 2016, on motion of VWDonatoR.Mares, theAnte-Roomwasnamed“JamesJ.WilsonHall”inhonorofourfoundingMaster.

The latest renovation ofthe Lodge Hall, designed andimplemented by Bro. Antonio S.Daño,Jr.,wasundertakenbyWMMichaelJonesS.Lahi.

Freemasonry will contin-uetogrowintheCityofZambo-anga. It is noted that soon afterthe 75th anniversary ofMt. ApoLodge, a new Lodge was born,and then another in 2013 ortwenty years later. The vision ofthosewhofeltthattheprinciplesofFreemasonryshouldbeknown,shared and practiced by genera-tions of stout-hearted men, waspursuedbythefoundingMasonsofMt.ApoLodge.Overtheyears,raceandcolourseemtohavefad-

edintoonehueofuprightnessandmoral direction. The Past Mas-ters who ruled the Lodge sinceits foundingandinstitution,haveprovedtobeleadersintheirownright. The members are equallydetermined to raise and guardthestandardsofthefraternity, inmanywaysthanone.

Mt. Apo Lodge 45will re-main strong, or like the Narratree that symbolizes growth andstrength, this lodge stands aslandmarkofFreemasonry in thispartofMindanao.

The next century of Mt.ApoLodge45willsurelyfacethechallenges of future technologyandspiritualdirection.Traditionsandbeliefswillbeputtorealtestbygenerationswhowant topro-mote unbridled global intereststhan moral rectitude. Wars anddiscriminationwillcontinuetobethe natural enemy of the frater-nity. Mt. Apo Lodge was born inspiteofthesamecircumstances.

Bro.EdwardI.Lim

December2017

JAMES JARDINE WILSON

(FoundingMasterofMt.ApoLodgeNo.45)

ByBro.VictorC.Ho


James JardineWilsonwasborn in Polmont, Stirlingshire,Scotland, on October 10, 1867.HedescendedfromthelineageoftheBuchanan-JardineofScotlandin the 17th century. Wilson waslisted as the Seventh GenerationdescendantsfromJohnJardineofApplegirth (born 1680) and Isa-bellaMeldrum.

At the young age of 22,WilsonwasmadeaMasterMasonattheSaintJohnLodgeNo.16atFalkirk, Scotland, on January 25,1890.

In 1891, at the age of 23,Wilson left his native land insearchofhisuncle.Hewasnamedafter his father’s brother, an ad-venturousseacaptainwhowrotehomeonce every seven years onthe year. During one lapse in hispunctuality,hismother,whowasWilson’s grandmother, voicedherconcern.“I’llgoandfindhim,Granny,” said Wilson and board-ed a ship for San Francisco, andwhenhegot there,hisunclewasinVladivostokandhadtowaitforsixmonthstoseehim.

While in San Francisco,WilsonworkedattheFultonIronWorks.Onedaywhenhewasre-turning to his job from Los An-geles, he took the S.S. St. Paul, acoastalschoonerthatranbetweenSanPedroandSanFranciscoand

gotshipwrecked.

Wilson returned to theshipwreckedsitein1956accom-paniedbyanewsmanandnarrat-ed to thewriterof that incident.That story was featured in the“MontereyPeninsulaHerald”dat-edApril30,1956entitled“Scots-man Revisits Scene Where HeWas Shipwrecked in 1889” witha picture showing him with hisyounger brother Andrew at thesite. That news article containsthe life story of Wilson as nar-ratedby themanhimself to thatnewswriter.

The newsman describedWilson as a chipper, bright-eyedScotsman.Aformermarineengi-neer,who,forthelast50yearshasbeen operating an ice plant andmachineshopinMindanao,inthePhilippine Islands. Just over fivefeet tall, he wears white mous-tacheandatrimwhitebeardwithaflourish.InhisburledaccentsofScotland,Wilsonsaid“Thisistheplace awlrright, only thereweremoretreesherethen.”

Wilson narrated - “Theshiptookonaloadofcattleabout30milesdownthecoastandwasgettingreadytostopinMonterey.It was 2 o’clock in themorning.Thecaptainmistookthesoundofthebuoysandthoughthewasen-teringtheharbor.Heranherright


intotherocks.”

“Itwasaverydarknight,no storm, and the sea wasn’tparticularly rough. There was aheavyswellrunning,though,andwewere afraid to try and climbashore on the rocks. They hadtwolifeboatsandthewomenandchildrenweretakenoff.OneboatwentintoCarmelandtheothertoMonterey.Thentheboatreturnedtousyoungmen.Thecaptaintoldustogetalltheluggagetogetherand the boat tookus untoMon-terey. The cattle were put over-board and they swam ashore, Iguess. They sent a special traindownfromSanFranciscotopickusup.”

Wilson went back to hisjob inthe ironworkswhichwasthen fitting out a steam schoo-ner named Charles Nelson, andbecame the ship’s engineer be-causeheknowseverypipeinher.Heworked the coastal tradebe-tweenSanFranciscoandSeattle,and makes a few trips carryingprospectors to the Yukon. Thenin1898,shecarriedtheNewYorkVolunteers to the Hawaiian Is-lands and the Spanish-AmericanWarbrokeout.

Wilsonwastransferredtothetransportship“Pennsylvania”then under charter to theArmy,andspentthenextsixyearshaul-

ing troops and supplies to thePhilippines.Manyofthelaunchesthat towed the cargo and troopsashorehadFilipinocrews,soWil-sonwentalongasengineer.Manyofthelandings,especiallyatLeyteandup the riversofLuzon,weremadeunderfireofrebelguns.“Wehadmanynarrowescapes,butweneverlostanybody”Wilsonsaid.

In Zamboanga, on Min-danao, Wilson met two youngmenfromNewYorkwhowantedhimtomanagetheiriceplant.Heagreedandopenedupamachineshop too.He thenownedpart oftheiceplantcorporation.

Wilson went back toScotland in 1909, to his nativePolmont, in Stirlingshire, on theupper reaches of the Firth ofForth.While aboard the shipoutofNewYork,hemetayoungScotgirlnamedJeanMiller.TheyweremarriedinGlasgow,andshewenttothePhilippineswithhim.

JeanMillercame fromthelineage of the John Graham ofClaverhouse, Viscount ofDundeeon thewest coast, and cousin tothe Marquis of Montrose in theeastcoastofScotland,alsoaGra-hamancestorofWilson.Theyhadtwo daughters, Jeanne Allan andMaryCameron.

Jeanne went to work forthe U.S. Consulate Service in the


late1930’sandwassent toCan-ton, China. When the Japanesearrived, she was imprisoned inShanghai, and was among thefirstAmericanstoberepatriatedaboardtheliner“Gripsholm”ear-lyinthewar.ShereturnedtotheConsulate Service after the war,andwassenttoUruguay.Shelat-erworkedat theBankofAmeri-ca’s International Departmentin San Francisco. Jeanne has adaughtername Jacqui,nowmar-riedtoanelectricianandhadtwochildren,WilliamEdwardTurnerGrothForrestandVioletteJeanne.JeanneWilsonwasbornonJanu-ary1,1913.

Marymarried anEnglish-man living in Mindanao namedThompson Lockwood, a reserveofficer of the Indian Service. Hewas calledup to activeduty andsent to Singapore and then toBurmawherehewaskilled.Marypassed-on in 1980 of pneumo-nia.HersonJimmywaskilledbyalorryinBrightonayearortwoearlier.HerdaughternowresidesinLosGatos,California,withhertwoteendaughters.

In 1906,Wilsonwho hadbeen asked by army officers tohelp them find able craftsmanfor construction work, sent forhis younger brother Andrew, anapprentice stonemason in Scot-land.Andrewspent18monthsin

Zamboangaerectinggovernmentbuildings, and went on to SanFranciscoshortlyaftertheearth-quake. “I thought they wouldprobably be needing a stonema-son,”saidWilson.

WhentheJapaneseinvad-ed thePhilippines inWorldWarII, Wilson took his family, withotherAmericans,tothehillsbackof Zamboanga and hid from theenemyforsixmonths.“Wefinal-lyhadtosurrender,”saidWilson,theninhis70’sbecausetherewasnofood.”

Wilson,hiswife,theirchil-drenandtwograndchildrenwereimprisoned first in Davao, thenmoved to Sto. Tomas in Manila.“They treated us well,” he said,“because we had done nothingtothem,buttherewasn’tenoughfood.Itwashard.Iweighedonly100poundsandmywifeonly90pounds.Thechildrenweretreat-edbetter.

Soonafterthewarended,Wilson continued managing the“Wilson Ice Plant andCold Stor-age”andthe“BaleteEngineeringWorks”untilhesoldthemtotheBlanco family forUS$150,000.00with the condition that Miss Al-ice Cawley, who loyally helpedmanaged the ice plant, be givena home as long as she lived andall current employees should be


retained. He also gave his twodaughtersandMissCawley,eachwith 110 shares of stock of thecorporation.Wilsonandhisfam-ily finally leftZamboangaCity in1961 to make his home in LosGatos, California. He then wentonaworldtourwithhiswifeanddaughterMary.

WB Wilson was featuredin thebook“ZamboangaHermo-sa: Memories of the Old Town”under the article “Foreign Rela-tionsandFriends.”Onpage146,Rose Lamb-Sobrepeña wrote-- “Mr. Wilson and his ice plantwere inseparable institutions.Onehardlyspeaksofhimwithoutmentioning theoneandonly icefactory in the old city. Of Scotchdescent, he always cut a portlyfigure in his brown tweeds andperky hats. Lifemust have beenpleasant all theway for him be-cause he lived to be a hundredsans the illnesses characteristicoftheage.DaughterMaryisnowmarriedtoMr.ThompsonofAus-traliawho,onceuponatime,alsosharedmanyyearswiththefami-lyinZamboanga.”

Wilsonattributedhisgoodhealth to what could be calledclean living.Hedoesn’tdrink,orsmoke, and never eats betweenmeals.Heexercisedeverymorn-ingandatetherightfoods.

Wilson spent two yearsin the nursing home before hepassed-oninOctober22,1967attheageof100yearsand12days.He was interred at the Los Ga-tosMemorialPark.Hiswife JeanMillerpassed-onsixyearslaterin1973.

James J. Wilson spent 78yearsofhislifetimeasaFreema-son.HewasRaisedtotheSublimeDegree ofMasterMason on Jan-uary 25, 1890 at the Saint JohnLodgeNo.16atFalkirk,Scotland.Four years later in San Francis-co,HedemittedfromhisMotherLodgetoFentalphaLodgeNo.202inLosAngelesonFebruary1894.SoonaftertheSpanish-AmericanWar ended, he settled down inZamboangaCity,Philippines,andformedtheMountApoLodgeNo.45 under the jurisdiction of theGrand Lodge of the PhilippinesIslandsonFebruary6,1918,andservedasitsfirstWorshipfulMas-ter,andsubsequently,asitsChar-ter Master when the Lodge wasgranted a Charter and constitut-edonApril7,1919.Hewasagainelected and served as Master ofthe Lodge in 1939. He demittedfrom the Fentalpha Lodge No.202 toMountApoLodgeNo. 45in1918.HewasalsoaDualMem-berwiththeLasPerlasdeOrienteLodge No. 1043 in Manila, un-der the jurisdictionof theGrandLodgeofScotland.


InapicturehesenttoMissAliceCawley,itshowedhimwear-ing the Apron of a Past Masterwitha shortnote: “95yearsold,73yearsaMasterMason,3timesa Past Master, still attend lodgemeetings at the George E. TuttLodgeNo. 292 at 131EastMainStreet,LosGatos,California.”

Twelve days after Wil-sondroppedforeverhisworkingtoolsinlife,JamesJardineWilsonwasposthumously investedwiththetitleandrankof“KnightCom-manderoftheCourtofHonor”bytheScottishRiteFreemasonryofLosAngeles,California.

JamesJ.Wilsonleftbehindtwopiecesworkingtoolsheper-sonallycraftedasa legacytotheLodge he founded, a “CommonGavel” inscribed: “PRESENTEDBY JAMES WILSON, PM1918,1919&1939TOMT.APOLODGENO.45, F.&A.M.” andawooden“24-Inch Gauge” inscribed: “DO-NATED TO MOUNT APO LODGEF.&A.M.BY JAMESWILSONPM1918-19 & 1939 ON OCCASIONOFHIS65YEARSASAM.M.JAN-UARY25TH1955.”

Jeanne Wilson inheritedthehousefromherfatherat239Edelen Avenue, Los Gatos, Cali-fornia. She regularly attends thelunch-time fellowships tenderedby the West Valley High Twelve

ClubNo.556tothefamiliesofMa-sons. The Clubmeets every 2ndand4thMondayof themonthattheVillaFeliceRestaurant,15350WinchesterBoulevard,LosGatos,California.IntheirJuly1993Clubbulletin, it featured the article“What Is A Mason” acknowledg-ingittakenfromthe“Hourglass”thebulletinofMountApoLodgeNo.45,F.&A.M.,ZamboangaCity,Philippines.”Jeannepassed-oninMarch6,2000.

MountApoLodgeNo. 45,inhonoringWilson,renamedtheDeMolayChapteritsponsoredin1976to“JamesJ.WilsonChapter,OrderofDeMolay.”AndinNovem-berof2016,theAnteRoomofMt.ApoMasonicTemplewasnamed“JamesJ.WilsonHall”inmemoryof the foundingMasterofMountApoLodgeNo.45.

Note: This short life story of James J. Wilson was made possible through cor-respondence between this writer and Ms. Jeanne Wilson. It was after the 75th Anniversary celebration of this lodge that VW Antonio Espinosa suggested that I send her a copy of the Hourglass Commemorative issue. She later re-quested additional copies as the lodge in Los Gatos, California, where she reg-ularly attends lunch fellowships, would also like to have a copy. She would send over the news clipping of the “Monte-rey Peninsula Herald” which accounts for most part of his life story as told by the man himself. The news clipping was later turned-over by me to then Grand Master MW Romeo A. Yu for safe keep-ing at the Grand Lodge archive.


PILIPINO

VW ROMEO S. MUSÑGI, PDDGM

Grand Chaplain

MILENYO, PILIPINO!Sabuokongpagkataonananalay-

taysamgaugatko

Angdugongmakabayangbayanisalahiko

Sapanahonngpananakopngmgakastilangdyablo

Isaangakinglolonalumabansamgaito

Tiniisangmaraminghirap,

Pasakitatkalumbayan

Makitalangnalumayaangbayanniyangminamahal

SiyaanglolokonaPilipinongmakabayan

KastilamanoAmerikano,

Haponmannagingchino

Hindimanginginingmagtatang-golanglahiko

KungangnatatayaaykarangalanngPilipino

Tabakaybubunutinitataasangkamao

PilitingmagtatanggolsatatakngPilipino

Sapanahonngbagongsiglo

Angmgamilenyalngbayanko

MagtatanggolparinkayasabayanngPilipino

Nasanaysakarangyaan,

Huwadnakabihasnan,

Computeratkatamaran

Silaparinkayaangpag-asangatingbayan?

Bumangonkaattitigan

Kabataanngkaunlaran

Saanmodadalhinangbayankongminamahal,Pilipinokapa

rinba?


KAPATIRANG MASONby Kuyang Heroico “HERO” S. Olivar

SakapanahunanniHaringSolo-mon

AymayitinatagkapatirangMA-SON

Pagmamahalkapatidsapuso’ynaroon

Pagsakloloatkatotohananangknilanglayon.

PagibigatpananaligsaDIOSnamaykapal

Angpagkakaisaatpagtutulungan

Angkapayapaanatkasaganaan

YanangtanginghangadngMA-SONnaKapatiran.

Samgakabutihangkanilangipinamalas

KapatirangMASONagadlumaga-nap

Maramingtaonagnais,naghan-gad

Namapabilangsakapatirangwagas.

SiGatJoseRizal,AndresBonifa-cio

AtlahatngbayaningmgaPilipino

Silaaysumalisakapatirangito

Naangtangingnaisbumutiangtao.

Kunganglahatngtaosalahatngbansa

AymagigingMasonsaisipatgawa

Walangdigmaanmundoaypayapa

Walangmagugutomatwalangluluha.

KapatirangMasonayatingma-halin

Saisipsapusomagingsadam-damin

SamahalnatingGAOTUsamokoatdalangin

KapatirangMasonaypalaganap-in.


Constitution OfBLUE LODGES

FEBRUARY 2, 1922 - Kasilawan Lodge No. 77 was constituted by Grand Master Quintin Paredes at the Masonic Temple, Es-colta, Manila.

FEBRUARY 7, 1934 - M.W. Manuel Camus constituted Pearl River Lodge No. 109, in Canton, China. One of the organizers of this Lodge was James Doolittle who gained fame during the Second World War for leading the first bombing raid over Japan in 1942.

FEBRUARY 9, 1924 - Luz Oceanica Lodge No. 85 was constituted at the Masonic Temple, Escolta, Manila, by Grand Master Wenceslao Trinidad.

FEBRUARY 10, 1921 - Isla de Luzon No. 57 was formally constituted by MW Edwin W. Elser at the Masonic Temple, Escolta, Manila.

FEBRUARY 11, 1954 - Sendai Masonic Lodge No. 135 was constituted in Sendai, Japan and its officers installed by MW Mau-ro Baradi.

FEBRUARY 14, 1917 - Grand Master William H. Taylor constituted the fol-lowing lodges which had been issued charters the day before: Biak-na-Bato No. 7, Cosmos No. 8, St. John’s No. 9, Far East No. 10, Nilad No. 12, Walana No. 13, Dalisay No. 14, Pilar No. 15, Sinukuan No. 16, Bagong-Buhay No. 17, Araw No. 18, Silanganan No. 19, Rizal Lopez No. 20, Dapitan No. 21, Rizal Manila No. 22, Solidaridad 23, Banahaw No. 24, Malinao No. 25, Pinagsabitan No. 26, Bagumbayan Manila No. 27, Balintawak No. 28, Zapote No. 29, Mactan No. 30, Magdalo No. 31, Martines del 96 No. 32, Isarog No. 33, Lincoln No. 34, Batangas No. 35, La Regeneracion No. 36, Kalilayan No. 37 and Bulusan No. 38.


CONSTITUTIONOF BLUE LODGES

The large number of lodges constituted that day - - 31 in all elicited surprise from other Grand Jurisdictions. In the 29th Annual Report of the Grand Lodge of New South Wales there appeared the fol-lowing comment: “It’s a world record, and we ven-ture to prophesy will never be beaten.”

FEBRUARY 14, 1925 - Service Lodge No. 95 was formally constituted by Grand Master Christian W. Rosenstock at the Ma-sonic Temple, Manila.

FEBRUARY 17, 1923 - High Twelve Lodge No. 82 was constituted by Grand Master Frederic H. Stevens at the Masonic Temple Escolta, Manila.

FEBRUARY 18, 1913 - Pinagsabitan Lodge No. 344 in Sta. Cruz, Laguna was admitted into the Federation of the Gran Ori-ente Español. It was formally constituted on June 14 of the same year.

FEBRUARY 19, 1921 - Primera Luz Filipina Lodge No. 69 was formally constituted at Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite by M.W. Ed-win E. Elser. The ceremonies were public, and atten-dance was about 1,300.

FEBRUARY 21, 1919 - Mt. Mainam Lodge No. 49 was constituted by Grand Master Milton Spinger. The constitution was a big event in Naic, Cavite, the public having been invited to witness the ceremonies and participate in the banquet which followed.

FEBRUARY 21, 1923 - Taga-Ilog Lodge No. 79 was constituted by Bro. Francisco Delgado, acting as Grand Master, at the Templo de Solomon, Manila.

FEBRUARY 22, 1947 - Milton E. Marvin Lodge No. 117 was constituted in Agana, Guam. This is the first Lodge constituted after the end of the Second World War.

FEBRUARY 22, 1958 - Julian Ocampo Memorial Lodge No. 146 was con-stituted in Iriga, Camarines Sur by Grand Master Vi-


cente Orosa.

FEBRUARY 24, 1923 - Mt. Lebanon Lodge No. 80 was constituted by Grand Master Frederic H. Stevens at the Scottish Rite Hall, Masonic Temple, Escolta, Manila.

FEBRUARY 24, 1940 - Indang Lodge No. 115 was constituted in Cavite.

FEBRUARY 26, 1921 - MW Edwin E. Elser formally constituted Labong Lodge No. 59 at the Public School Building in Mala-bon, Rizal.

FEBRUARY 26, 1926 - Benjamin Franklin Lodge No. 94 was constituted by Grand Master Christian Rosenstock at the Ma-sonic Temple, Escolta Manila.

FEBRUARY 28, 1916 - Southern Cross Lodge No. 6 was constituted by M.W. William H. Taylor in solemn ceremonies held at the Masonic Temple in San Luis St., Manila. The organizer and first Master of this Lodge was Newton Gilbert, acting Governor-General of the Philippines from 1912-1913.

MARCH 1, 1915 - Island Lodge No. 5, with seat in Corregidor, was officially constituted by the Grand Lodge of P.I.

MARCH 1, 1919 - Charleston Lodge No. 44 was constituted on board the transport Sherman at Agana, Guam by Bro. Ra-fael Palma, acting as Grand Master. This is the first Lodge of Philippine obedience established outside Philippine territory and the first and only one so far constituted on board a vessel.

MARCH 2, 1957 - San Marcelino Lodge No. 141 was constituted by Grand Master Clinton Carlson.

MARCH 3, 1923 - Liwayway Lodge No. 81 was constituted by Grand Master Frederic H. Stevens at the Bigaa School, at Bigaa, Bulacan.

MARCH 4, 1922 - Nueva Ecija Lodge No. 73 was constituted by Grand



Master Quintin Paredes at the Public School Building at Quezon, Nueva Ecija. The ceremonies were pub-lic, and the attendance was about 1,000.

MARCH 5, 1921 - Pangasinan Lodge No. 56 was formally constituted by MW Edwin E. Elser in public ceremonies held in Cine Sol in Dagupan. About 1,000 persons attended.

MARCH 8, 1821 - Baguio Lodge No. 67 was formally constituted by M.W. Edwin E. Elser in public ceremonies held in the Social Hall of the Teachers Camp in Baguio. About 300 persons attended. During the Second World War the Teachers Camp was used as a concentration camp by the Japanese, and the members of Baguio Lodge who were confined in the camp held a lodge meeting in the premises. In April 1989 the Camp again became the site of Masonic activities when the Grand Lodge of the Philippines held its Annual Communication there.

MARCH 12, 1892 - Nilad Lodge No. 144 was constituted in Manila un-der the Gran Oriente Español.

MARCH 13, 1948 - Marikina Lodge No. 119 was constituted in Marik-ina, Rizal by Grand Master Albert Brazee,

MARCH 14, 1924 - MW C.W. Rosenstock formally constituted Hiram Lodge No. 88 at the Plaridel Temple in Manila.

MARCH 15, 1912 - Pinagsabitan Lodge No. 344 under the Grand Ori-ente Español was founded in Sta. Cruz, Laguna by Amado Saul, Hermenegildo Aquino and Santos Car-melo. The Lodge received its charter in 1913.

MARCH 16, 1949 - Grand Master Esteban Munarriz constituted Far East Lodge No. 124 in Yokosuka, Japan.

MARCH 17, 1923 - Modestia Lodge No. 83 was constituted by Grand Master Frederick Stevens at the Plaridel Temple, Manila.



MARCH 18, 1918 - Noli-Me-Tangere Lodge No. 42 was formally con-stituted by Grand Master Manuel L. Quezon at the Masonic Temple in the Escolta.

MARCH 19, 1921 - Kanlaon Lodge No. 61 was constituted by MW Ed-win E. Elser in private ceremonies held in the Hall of Kanlaon Lodge in Bacolod City.

MARCH 20, 1919 - Pampanga Lodge No. 48 was constituted in pub-lic ceremonies held at Cine Excelsior by Grand Mas-ter Milton E. Springer. Over 1,000 persons attended of which number many were ladies and about 300 were Masons.

MARCH 22, 1919 - Malolos Lodge No. 46 was constituted at Cine Ma-lolos by Grand Master Milton E. Spinger.

MARCH 22, 1947 - Victory Lodge No. 116 was constituted in Camil-ing, Tarlac by Grand Master Emilio P. Virata. It was the second lodge to be constituted after the Second World War. Milton Marvin Lodge No. 117, constitut-ed on February 22, 1947, was the first.

MARCH 24, 1921 - Marble Lodge No. 58 was formally constituted by MW Edwin E. Elser in public ceremonies held in the Public School in Romblon, Romblon. About 500 “outsiders” and 35 members of the Craft attended.

MARCH 25, 1922 - Plaridel Lodge No. 74 was constituted by Grand Master Quintin Paredes in public ceremonies held at the Public School building in Calauag, Tayabas. About 600 persons attended.

MARCH 25, 1931 - Amity Lodge No. 6, was constituted at Shanghai, China.

MARCH 27, 1917 - Most Worshipful William H. Taylor formally con-stituted Minerva Lodge No. 41 in ceremonies held at the Masonic Temple, Escolta, Manila. This lodge formerly worked under the Gran Oriente Luistano



Unido, but surrendered its charter and applied for membership in the Grand Lodge of the Philippine Is-lands.

MARCH 27, 1926 - Keystone Lodge No. 100 was constituted by Grand Master Francisco A. Delgado at Corregidor Island.

MARCH 28, 1952 - Cagayan Valley Lodge No. 133 was constituted by MW Sydney Austin at Santiago, Isabela.

MARCH 29, 1924 - MW Wenceslao Trinidad formally constituted Muog Lodge No. 89 in ceremonies held at the Parañaque Elementary School.

MARCH 30, 1917 - Iloilo Lodge No. 11 was formally constituted in Iloilo City in ceremonies presided over by William Mac Murray who acted as Grand Master. Thirty-four Master Masons were present.

MARCH 31, 1922 - Agno Lodge No. 75 was constituted by Grand Mas-ter Quintin Paredes in public ceremonies held at Cine Rosales in Rosales, Pangasinan. About 400 per-sons attended.

APRIL 1, 1922 - Union Lodge No. 70 was constituted by Grand Master Quintin Paredes in public ceremonies held at Cine Union, in San Fernando, La Union. About 800 persons attended.

APRIL 2, 1921 - Angalo Lodge No. 63 was formally constituted by MW Edwin E. Elser in ceremonies held at the Municipal Hall of Vigan, Ilocos Sur.

APRIL 2, 1927 - Zambales Lodge No. 103 was constituted by Grand Master Joseph H. Schmidt at the Public School Building in Iba, Zambales.

APRIL 2, 1949 - Quezon City Lodge No. 122 was constituted by Grand Master Esteban Munarriz at the Bernardo Park, by the side of the old Quezon City Hall.

APRIL 3, 1922 - Laoag Lodge No. 71 was constituted by Grand Master Quintin Paredes in public ceremonies held at the Grand Auditorium in Laoag, Ilocos Norte. About 2000 persons



attended.

APRIL 4, 1886 - Solidaridad Lodge, with several Filipinos as members, was duly constituted in Barcelona. It was under the Gran Oriente de España.

APRIL 4, 1925 - Bagong-Ilaw Lodge No. 97 was formally constituted by Grand Master Christian Rosenstock at the Public School Building in Noveleta, Cavite.

APRIL 4, 1981 - Mindoro Lodge of Perfection was constituted by Benito Maneze, Sr. 33o

APRIL 5, 1950 - Tokyo Masonic Lodge No. 125 and Square and Compass Lodge No. 126 were jointly constituted by Grand Master Clifford C. Bennet in Tokyo, Japan.

APRIL 7, 1919 - Mt. Apo Lodge No. 45 was constituted at Zamboanga by Grand Master Milton E. Springer.

APRIL 7, 1951 - Sixto Lopez (Batulaw) Lodge No. 129 was constituted MW Cenon Cervantes in Balayan, Batangas.

APRIL 9, 1951 - Cebu Lodge No. 128 was constituted by MW Cenon S. Cervantes in Cebu City.

APRIL 10, 1919 - Sarangani Lodge No. 50 was constituted at the School House in Davao by Grand Master Milton E. Springer. The ceremonies were public and about 500 persons attend-ed.

APRIL 11, 1924 - MW Frederic H. Stevens constituted Mount Kaladias Lodge No. 91 at the Provincial Building, Dumaguete, Ne-gros Oriental.

APRIL 12, 1924 - MW Wenceslao Trinidad formally constituted Memorial Lodge No. 90 in San Jose, Nueva Ecija.

APRIL 18, 1921 - A team of Grand Lodge Officers led by MW Edwin E. Els-er formally constituted Magat Lodge No. 68 in public cer-emonies, held at the Provincial building of Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya.

APRIL 18, 1925 - Isagani Lodge No. 96 was constituted by Grand Master



Christian W. Rosenstock at Paniqui, Tarlac.

APRIL 19, 1952 - Mount Malindang Lodge No. 130 was constituted at Ozamis City, Misamis Occidental by MW Sydney Austin.

APRIL 21, 1921 - A team of Grand Lodge officers led by MW Edwin E. Els-er constituted Isabela Lodge No. 60 in public ceremonies held at the Municipal Hall of Ilagan, Isabela. Attendance was large.

APRIL 23, 1921 - A team of Grand Lodge officers led by MW Edwin E. Els-er formally constituted Gonzaga Lodge No. 66 in public ceremonies held in the Central School Building of Tu-guegarao, Cagayan.

APRIL 27, 1923 - Abra Lodge No. 86 was constituted at Bangued, Abra by Grand Master Frederic H. Stevens.

APRIL 29, 1922 - Hamtik Lodge No. 76 was formally constituted by PGM Edwin E. Elser, acting as Grand Master, in public ceremo-nies held at the Public School building in San Jose, An-tique. About 500 persons sttended.



Bro. Benito K. Tan, PJGDLabong Lodge No.59Lodge Perla Del Oriente 1034 S.C.

“YOLANDA” or interna-tionallyknownasTyphoon“Hai-yan”,thestrongesttropicalstormin the world devastated VisayasRegion of the Philippines. Inter-nationalreliefoperationwasmo-bilizedincludingtheGrandLodgeofAntientFreeandAcceptedMa-sonsofScotlandthatimmediatelysendfinancialassistancethrutheGrand Lodge Free and AcceptedMasonsofthePhilippines.

TheGrand Lodge of Scot-land (GLOS) desirous of extend-ingamoretangibleandcontinu-ing assistance to the victims,appointed Bro. Cameron SloanandBro.BenitoTantolookforasuitableundertaking.Theydecid-ed to engage the cooperation ofTzuChiBuddhistCharityFounda-tion,aworldrenownedproviderofdisasterrelieforganization.A joint venture to build amulti-purposebuilding thatwillhouseaClinic,aSocialWelfareOf-fice,andaPoliceStationwasfor-

malized on 24thMay 2017. Thebuildingwasbuiltona250sq.m.lotdonatedbyMayorEdwardCo-dillaatTzuChiGreatLoveVillageatOrmocCity,LeyteTheedificewasbuiltbyresident/victimsofTyphoon“Haiyan”onaWorkforPayProgramofTzuChiBuddhist Charity Foundation. Itwas inauguratedat onApril14,2018.

In attendance were Bro.Steward Cameron Sloan (ProjectChairman),Bro.BenitoTan(Proj-ect Coordinator), Bro. Alfred Li(Tzu Chi Foundation Vice Presi-dent), Mayor Edward C. Codilla(Donor) and Bros. Julian Smith,Mike Lee, Benson Uy and Jeffer-son Chen. Bro. Edward Chua ofGLPwasalsopresent.


ItwashisfirsttimetovisitthePhil-ippineDeMolayYouthCenter(PDYC)the headquarters of the SupremeCouncil, Order of DeMolay (SCOD)and made sure it sticks. As a sup-porteroftheDeMolayMovementinthecountry,hemadesureitdid!

MWRomeoS.Momo,theGrandMas-terofPhilippineMasons, isnowanelitememberof theGrandMaster’sCentennialKnight(GMCK)andaLifeMemberoftheSupremeCouncil,Or-derofDeMolay.

MWMomowas awarded his GMCKjewel, received his GMCK plaqueand took his oath as Life Memberof SCOD before Hon. Edison Abel-la, SCOD Grand Master. Hon. RodelRieslingS.J.Reyes,theSCOD’sGrandTreasurerandSCODPGMalongwithother brethrenwitnessed the occa-sionatthePDYClastFebruary8.

During his visit at the PDYC, MWMomowas also given a tour of theSCOD offices and the onlyDeMolayChapterRoominthecountrywhichrecentlyunderwentrepairsandren-ovation and renamed in perpetuityasthe“MWDadRosendoC.HerreraHall”duringitsinaugurationlastDe-cember8.MWHerrerawasthe66thGrandMaster of PhilippineMasonsand Grand Master Emeritus of theSupremeCouncil,OrderofDeMolay.

The Grand Master’s CentennialKnight is part of the DeMolay Cru-sades and is a once-in-a-lifetime

membership category offered fora limited period to a select groupof individuals and organizations,who champion theworthy cause ofcharacter building and leadershipdevelopment among the youth andarewillingtomakeaninvestmenttotheirfuture.

MWMomo personally handed overhis membership donation to Hon.Abella, and Hon. Victor Antonio T.Espejo,SCODImmediatePastGrandMaster last June 25, 2018 at theGrand Lodge of the Philippines inManila. As a gesture of his appreci-ation, the SCOD Grand Master pre-sented to MW Momo an intricatewoodenreplicaoftheDeMolayAltar.

TheDeMolayCrusadesisoneofthemajor projects and activities of theSupreme Council in support of theworldwide celebrationof the100thYear or Centennial Founding Anni-versaryoftheInternationalOrderofDeMolay.TheDonationsshallestab-lishthefirsteverPhilippineDeMolayTrustFundthataimstopromoteandsustainthegrowthandexpansionoftheDeMolayMovementinthePhilip-pinesinthenext100years.

GM Romeo S. Momo and the Order of DeMolay


100 Years Order of DeMolay 1919-2019


GENERAL GRAND CHAPTER ORDER OF THE EASTERN STAR

Mrs.CorazonF.Tandoc,PMLifeMember,MayonChapterNo.1

DeputytotheMostWorthyGrandMatronforLuzon

The Order of the EasternStar is the largest organizationintheworldformenandwomenwho are related by the dearestties to the members of the Ma-sonicfraternity.ThemembershipismadeupofMastersMasonsingood standing and their femalerelativesby:

a. Marriage: wives, wid-ows, stepmothers, mothers-in-law,sisters–in-law;

b.Children:daughters(in-cluding those legally adopted),stepdaughters, granddaughters,andgreatgranddaughters;

c. Parents and Grandpar-ents: mothers, grandmothers,aunts,great-aunts;

d.Siblingsandotherrela-tives:sisters,stepsisters,half-sis-ters, daughters-in-law, nieces,great-nieces,andfemalefirstandsecondcousins;

e. Members of the Inter-national Order of the RainbowForGirlsorJob’sDaughtersInter-national,whohavebeenactiveforthree (3) years or have attained

theageof18. MembersoftheOrderarepersons with deep religious be-liefs and spiritual values. Peopleof all faithsmay belong;what isrequiredisabelief inaSupremeBeing.

The purposes are Chari-table, Educational, Fraternal andScientific:topromotefellowship,engageincharitableactivities,as-sistourmembersandcommuni-tiesinserviceprojects–inbuild-ing our Order that is dedicatedtoCHARITY,TRUTHandLOVINGKINDNESS; and to protect thewidowsandorphans, to comfortthe afflicted, to sympathizewiththe sorrowing and to relieve thedestituteanddistressed.

The founder and builderof the Order of the Eastern Star(1849–1850)wasDr.RobMorris,a lawyer, educatorand the “PoetLaureate of Masonry.” Dr. RobMorrisbecameaMasterMasoninOxford,Mississippiin1846;orga-nizedtheFirstMasonicLodgeinJerusalem, Royal Solomon Num-berOneandbecameitsfirstWor-


shipfulMaster.HeservedasMostWorshipful Master of Masons inKentuckyin1858–1859.

In 1866, he became asso-ciated with Bro. Robert Macoy,of New York City who assumedplanningtheOrderoftheEasternStar when he left for Jerusalem.In 1867–1868 Mr. Macoy com-piledandpublishedaritual,usingRobMorris’Rosaryasguide.TheSupremeGrandChapterwasthenformed. The first Grand Chap-terwasorganizedinMichiganin1867.

In1880,theGeneralGrandChap-ter conferred on Dr. Rob Morristhetitleof“MASTERBUILDEROFTHE ORDER OF THE EASTERNSTAR”;thusAugust31,hisbirth-day,wassetapartasafestivedayoftheOrder.

The General Grand Chap-ter is the governing body of theOrderoftheEasternStar. ItwasorganizedinIndianapolisonNo-vember 16, 1876 by a conven-tion of delegates of independentGrand Chapters in the UnitedStates, and adopted the officialtitle of the organization as GEN-ERAL GRAND CHAPTER, ORDEROFTHEEASTERNSTAR.ItsofficeislocatedinWashingtonDC.TheGeneralGrandChapterhasjuris-diction over all Grand Chaptersin the US, Canada, Puerto Rico,

Scotland, Australia. SubordinateChapterswereorganizedinAlas-ka,Aruba,Bolivia,Brazil,Colum-bia, Peru, Venezuela, Bermuda,Taiwan,China,Panama,Germany,Guam.Hawaii,Japan,Mexico,Ita-ly,Philippines, andSaudiArabia.ThemembershipintheOrderhasnowreachedhalfamillionmem-bers.

ThehighestOfficer of theGeneral Grand Chapter is theMostWorthyGrandMatronwhohasatermofthreeyearsandtheOfficers are elected during itsTriennial Assembly every threeyears.

ThePhilippinesisdirectlyundertheGeneralGrandChapter.We have no Grand Chapter yetasofnow.MayonChapterNo.1,thefirstOESChapterinthePhil-ippines, was formed in 1904 byBrotherMasonsandtheirfemalerelativeswhowereAmericanex-patriates stationed in ClarkAirBase, Subic Naval Base, US Em-bassyand thosehavingbusinessinthecountry.ItwasfollowedbyRosario Villaruel No. 2 in 1945andSampaguitaChapterNo.3in1950,whichwasorganizedbytheMayonChapterNo.1,andtherestishistory.Todate,outof35chap-ters,we have 28 active chapters(13inLuzon,3intheVisayasand12 inMindanao).


OFFICIAL VISITATION OF THE MOST WORTHY GRAND MA-TRON AND THE MOST WOR-THY GRAND PATRON OF THE GENERAL GRAND CHAPTER,

ORDER OF THE EASTERN STAR, FEBRUARY 20-22, 2019, HERI-

TAGE HOTEL.

TheOESPhilippineChap-terswerehonoredbythevisitofMarianneShenefelt,MostWorthyGrand Matron and Henry Mar-tin, Most Worthy Grand PatronofOES.Withthemwere:MarianEdwards, Ambassador to Guam;RobertHudlow, Chairman of theInternationalHeadquartersCom-mittee;HollyShenefelt,OpalMar-tin, Richard Rogers and ShiloraHudlow.

With Sis. Maria TheresaFajardo,PM,asChairoftheSteer-ing/Working Committee, MayonChapterNo.1,coordinatedallthepreparations and arrangementsforthevisit,includingarrival/de-parturecourtesies,courtesycallsonMWRomeoMomo,GrandMas-terandIll.GeorgeL.So,SovereignGrand Commander; cultural din-nershow,andtourofMalacananPalace.Highlightoftheactivitieswasthefulldayexemplifications,school of instruction and fellow-shipdinnerwiththetheme:“WeareOne!” Indeed,weareallonedespite our differences, religion,nationality, political preferences,

color, dialect and language. WeareOneOrderoftheEasternStar!Wesharedtalents, treasuresandtimethroughdanceandsongper-formances.

On hand to assist were:Sis. Corazon Tandoc, Deputy tothe Most Worthy Grand Matronfor Luzon, Sis. Amparo Albano,DeputytotheMostWorthyGrandMatron for Visayas andMindan-ao;Sis.FeAbarquez-Suaco,Depu-tytotheMostWorthyGrandPa-tronforthePhilippines;andBro.JoseS.Redor,DeputytotheMostWorthyGrandPatroninthePhil-ippines.

Close to 180 delegatesfrom 20 Chapters attended theevent,amongthem:MayonChap-ter No. 1, Sampaguita Chap. No.3, Teodora Alonzo No. 4, Rebec-ca Parrish No. 5, 13 Martyrs ofCaviteNo.6,KalawChapterNo.9,MorningStarNo.10,MariaCris-tinaNo.13,CadenadeAmorNo.16, Mt. Apo No. 17, Bukang Li-waywayNo.19,PagadianNo.20,Catleya No 21, Ma. Makiling No.23, Balanghai No. 28, Mt. Bana-hawNo.29,LaImmaculadaCon-ceptionNo.33,GoldenJewelNo.34, Strawberry Chapter No. 35,and a lone delegate from NellieCustisChapNo.169fromSpring-fieldVirginia.


Courtesy Call on Grand Master Romeo S. Momo

Parade of Chapters


Visits to Overseas Lodges and Foreign Grand Jurisdiction

Milton C. Marvin Masonic Lodge No. 123

February 23, 2019

GRAND LODGE OF JAPAN Tokyo Masonic Building

MARCH 20-23, 2019

Micronesia Masonic Lodge No. 173

February 23, 2019


BUILDING ADMINISTRATION InlinewiththepolicyofMWRomeoS.Momotoprovide,manageandmaintainedqualityGrandLodgebuildingfacilitiesandservicestoourbreth-ren,hisBuildingAdministrationGrouphasaccomplishedtwenty(20)repair,rehabilitationandImprovementsoftheGrandLodgeBuildingsandGroundsnamelythefollowing:

1. Repair of PalmaHall, BonifacioHall and StaffordHall including SoundSystemsSpandrelCeilingandLobby

2. InstallationofGlassEnclosureatthe3rdFloorLobbyofGrandLodgeofthePhilippinesincludinginstallationofTwo(2)UnitsPackageTypeAirConditioningUnit

3. CleaningandApplicationofWaterRepellantoftheExteriorWalloftheGrandLodgeofthePhilippines

4. Installation of additional bookshelves at the Archives room and Stockroominthe3rdfloor

5. Landscaping of Grand Lodge of the Philippines front open space andpremises

6. RenovationofGrandMasterOfficeandConferenceRoomincludingaircon7. RenovationofGrandSecretaryOffice8. RenovationofAssistantGrandSecretaryOffice

9. Replacement of ElectricalWirings and Lighting at Grand Lodge of thePhilippinesGrounds

10. RepairofComfortRoomsattheGrandLodgePhilippinesfrom1stFloorto5thFloor

11. PaintingMasonicGroundMuseum,DeMolay,HostelRoofsandGarage12. PaintingofGrandLodgeofthePhilippinesFence13. RepairofLobbyandBackyard14. RepairofAguinaldoHall15. HardwareMaterialsforGrandLodgePhilippinesrepair16. ReplacementofGrandLodgeofthePhilippinesCircuitBreaker17. ReplacementofGrandLodgeofthePhilippinesStaffOfficeCubicles18. ReplacementofGrandLodgeofthePhilippinesGate(BenitezSt.)

19. Installationof Stainless letteringofGrandLodgeof Free andAcceptedMasonsofthePhilippinesatoptheconcretebeamofthegate(BenitezSt.)

20. PaintingofGrandTreasurersOffice21. InstallationofMemorabiliashelvesatthe3rdfloorstairs

ThecostoftheabovementionedprojectsweredonatedbytheTrav-elersPlumbandLevelClubOfficersandmemberswithoutanyexpensesfromtheGrandLodgeofthePhilippines.


Flag Raising February 18, 2019

GM Visits Cosmos Lodge No. 8January 04, 2019

Institution of Mount Kitanlad M.L. UD January 23, 2019

Institution of Valenzuela City M.L.,U.D. January 23, 2019

Institution of Francisco Isabelo Oretega ML UD February 18, 2019 Daet Masonic Lodge No. 247

GM’s Masonic Activities


SITTIO MAUNGOT, SAN ISIDRO, SAN MARCELINO, ZAMBALES 2207

E-mail Add: [email protected] Phone No. (047) 603 – 2002

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