MODEL LODGE DONATES TO INMATES

Bro. Val Santos (second from right) receives the donation of used clothes from Worshipful Master Bro. Manolo Mercado (with red visor) for the Moises J. De Guzman Memorial Lodge No. 161's "Alay kay Kosa" Christmas project. Brother Val is a dual member of Model Lodge and the incumbent Worshipful Master of the Moise J. De Guzman Memorial Lodge in Lingayen City, Pangasinan. Also in the photo are (from left) Bro. Lino Carandang, Bro. Sergio Francisco, Brother Manolo, Bro. Anacleto Fernandez, Brother Val, and Bro. Prudencio Elegado.

CONSTRUCTION BEGINS

The construction of Model Lodge's Masonic temple officially started on 16 November 2010 with the laying of the foundations. The Lodge is grateful to Sto. Domingo Mayor Bro. Leonido De Guzman (Nueva Ecija Lodge No. 73) who lent the backhoe shown in the top photo below, and to Bro. Eduardo Sayco of ETS Construction and Mr. Amidon Nicloas of Ampani Cemets who lent the required steel braces and the truck that delivered these from Manila to Nueva Ecija (bottom photo below).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROTHER FITZ!

It's not just Bro. Fitzgerald Hierco's birthday bash but also a snapshot of the Lodge's next regime with incoming Worshipful Master Bro. Marionito Guerrero, incoming Senior Warden Bro. Sergio Francisco, and incoming Junior Warden Bro. Aquilino Valino, Jr. leading the fellowship.

FINALLY, A DREAM COME TRUE FOR MODEL LODGE

It started as a dream. Then came the plan. Finally on October 31 this year, the brethren of Model Lodge No. 373 witnessed Sto. Domingo mayor Bro. Leonido De Guzman broke the ground to announce the construction of the Lodge’s Masonic temple in Baloc.

As the groundbreaking started, Brother Leonido who is the incumbent Junior Warden of Nueva Ecija Lodge No. 73 was teased by Bro. Prudencio Elegado to dig a 1 meter hole to which the good mayor good naturedly responded that he is not a petitioner. Laughter filled the air as the temple ground was finally broken. Brother Leonido then committed his support to the project and expressed his happiness that a Masonic temple will finally be erected in his municipality and during his term. Immediately after the groundbreaking, the lay-outing of the temple foundations and the installation of batter boards proceeded.

 

October 31 is an ominous date for Model Lodge because it was the day of its institution way back in 2007 at Cabanatuan Lodge No. 53 which was presided by Grandmaster Jaime Gonzales. Among those who witnessed the institution rites were Grand Secretary Danilo Angeles, Grand Chaplain Manuel Palomo, Senior Grand Lecturer Flor Nicolas, District Deputy Grand Masters Emil Andrew Dela Rosa of Masonic District RIII-D and Celso Paderes of Masonic Disrict RIII-F, and other luminaries from other lodges. Brother Prudencio was then Worshipful Master with Bros. Narciso Nieto as Senior Warden and Anacleto Fernandez as the Junior Warden.

The temple will measure 15 meters in width and 33 meters long in reference to the Lodge’s 33 Charter Members as conceived by Brother Prudencio in a allusion to the highest degree of the thirty-third and last degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rites of Freemasonry.

It will be a long way before the temple will be completed but such is not built instantly. Even King Solomon’s Temple took years to be constructed. Model Lodge is hopeful that its dream will be realized through the help of its members and the Good Samaritans among the brethren. Then it can be said that dreams can indeed turn to reality.

 

FOOTNOTE: This article was written by Worshipful Master Bro. Manolo M. Mercado for the "The Craftsman". All photos unless cited were taken by Bro. Shubert L. Ciencia.

CLASH OF THE RUFFIANS 2

South Nueva Ecija (Masonic District RIII-D finally won in basketball. But in the end, North Nueva Ecija (Masonic District RIII-F) tallied the most wins and emerged as the clear winner. Model Lodge have players from both sides and, as far as the Lodge is concerned, they are all champions.

 

PHOTOS: Top photo shows Masonic District RIII-F District Deputy Grandmaster Bro. Jose "Joey" Matutino, Jr. (in red shirt) receiving the overall championship trophy from District Junior Grand Lecturer Bro. Alfredo Geronimo of Masonic District RIII-D. Brother Joey is a member of Model Lodge No. 373 which is under the jurisdiction of Masonic District RIII-D. Bottom photo shows Team Model Lodge with the championship trophy borrowed from masonic District RIII-F. Bro. Errol Santiago (front row in black shirt, second from left) played in the volleyball team of Masonic District RIII-F while Bro. Sergio Francisco (front row in white shirt, third from left) is a member of the Masonic District RIII-D tennis team.