REGULAR MEMBERS (015-2010 to 016-2010)

Bro. Ernesto Jimenez
Bro. Rafael Perez

EIGHTH BATCH (015-2010 & 016-2010). Bros. Ernesto Jimenez (015-2010) and Rafael Perez (016-2010) were initiated as Entered Apprentice Masons on 20 January 2010, passed as Fellow Craft Masons on 27 February 2010, and raised as Master Masons on 03 April 2010 at Model Lodge No. 373’s temporary Masonic temple in Baloc Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija.

94th ANNUAL COMMUNICATION

The brethren of Model Lodge No. 373 salutes the newly elected officers of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Philippines.

GRAND MASTER Bro. AVELINO RAZON, JR.

DEPUTY GRANDMASTER Bro. JUANITO AVERGAS

SENIOR GRAND WARDEN Bro. SANTIAGO GABIONZA, JR.

JUNIOR GRAND WARDEN Bro. JUANITO ESPINO, JR. 

GRAND TREASURER Bro. RUDYARDO BUNDA (Past Grand Master)

GRAND SECRETARY Bro. DANILO ANGELES (Past Grand Master)

FOOTNOTE: Top photo shows the opening of the 94th Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Philippines at the Mall of Asia Convention Center in manila. Bottom photo shows the Model Lodge delegation acknowledging the applause of the assembled brethren during the roll call of Lodges.

OFFICERS ATTEND LODGE MANAGEMENT SEMINAR

By the sheer number of participants who filled the Plaridel Masonic Temple to the limit, the Grand Lodge of the Philippines’ Lodge Management Seminar was a smashing success.

There was much enthusiasm as the protocol on reporting, the guidelines on balloting, and the rules on suspension were revisited and discussed. Everyday issues too were raised and analyzed as practical cases.

Representing Model Lodge No. 373 in the seminar were Worshipful Master Bro. Manolo Mercado, Senior Warden Bro. Marionito Guerrero, and Lodge Secretary Bro. Shubert Ciencia.

The seminar was held for the Masters, Wardens, Secretaries, and Treasurers with the primary objective of enriching the housekeeping capacities of all Lodges under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Philippines.

MASONIC DISTRICT RIII-D ADJUDGED AS "MOST OUTSTANDING DISTRICT"

Past Grandmaster and incumbent Grand Secretary Bro. Danilo Angeles himself announced the news.

Masonic District RIII-D who has jurisdiction over Model Lodge No. 373 and 15 other Lodges in South Nueva Ecija and Aurora is adjudged as the Most Outstanding Masonic District by the Grand Lodge of the Philippines for the year 2009-2010.

And District Deputy Grandmaster Bro. Emmanuel Antonio Umali of that District who is a member of Model Lodge is the year’s Most Outstanding District Deputy Grandmaster.

These recognitions --- including that for “The Craftsman” as the Most Outstanding District Newsletter, General Llanera Memorial Lodge No. 168 as the Most Outstanding Lodge, Bro. Juan Jerome Malaca as the Most Outstanding Worshipful Master, and Bro. Ulysses Chan as the Most Outstanding Lodge Secretary --- will be officially conferred during the 94th Annual Communications of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Philippines which will be held at the Mall of Asia in Manila on April 22-24 this year.

It was a fitting tribute to a fruitful year for Brother Emmanuel Antonio as the brethren of Masonic District RIII-D gathered for the annual District Deputy Grandmaster’s Night at the gymnasium of the Wesleyan University of the Philippines in Cabanatuan City.

It was also a proud moment for Model Lodge as 2 of its outstanding members were recognized: Bro. Antonio Manabat who was adjudged as the District’s Most Outstanding Junior Grand Lecturer, and Bro. Gov. Aurelio Umali who was feted as the District’s Outstanding Mason in Public Service.

The night also saw the launching of the District’s First Land Mark Credit Cooperative where Model Lodge past Master Bro. Prudencio Elegado was elected as a member of the Board of Directors and designated as the Board Treasurer. Earlier, Brother Prudencio was also elected as the Treasurer of the District Past Masters’ Guild where another Model Lodge member, Bro. Narciso Nieto who is the immediate past District Deputy Grandmaster, was elected as the president.

Model Lodge also congratulate Bro. Artfel Cauyao of Talavera Lodge No. 273 who has been adjudged as the District’s Most Outstanding Master Mason, and the brethren who were recognized for their outstanding performance in their fields of work.

Bro. Chief Inspector Arturo Cacdac, Jr. of Kapatiran Lodge No. 228 who was recently assigned to head the Philippine National Police’s regional office in Central Luzon graced the District Deputy Grandmaster’s Night as the guest of honor and keynote speaker.

A BROTHER TURNS A NEW LEAF

He just turned a year older. And still smells of jet lag from a recent trip to France.

But there was no mistaking his resolute determination as Bro. Narciso Nieto announced his joining the political arena during a gathering of selected brethren at the Lakewood Golf and Country Club in Cabanatuan City. There were no regrets as Brother Narciso recalled his 31 years of government service which saw him rose as a temporary low level employee to undersecretary of the Department of Agrarian Reform, and no fear at whatever challenge his new career as a politician would bring.

Brother Narciso is one of the nominees of AA-KASOSYO, one of the 187 party list groups accredited for the Philippines’ upcoming May 2010 election. The group's vision is to “protect and uplift the lives of farmers, fishermen, and small processors/manufacturers by providing them supervision and technical expertise in productions either in the farming, processing of the produce but more specifically on the marketing of all the produce thru AA-KASOSYO Exchange Centers”.

Brother Narciso was a past Master of Factoria Lodge No. 311 in Nueva Ecija and was serving as Senior Warden of Model Lodge, then under dispensation, when he was appointed as the District Deputy Grandmaster for Masonic District RIII-D in 2008.

PARTY LIST EXPLAINED: The Philippine party list system was enacted into law in 1995 though Republic Act 7941. It seeks to enhance the representation of marginalized and under-represented sectors in the House of Representatives and was first introduced in 1998. Because of this law, Philippine voters vote for two congressional representatives: the district representative and a party-list representative. Of the 269 seats in the Philippine House of Representatives, 20 percent or 52 seats are reserved for party-list representatives who garnered 2% of the total votes cast for all party-list candidates. Each party list group is allowed a maximum of 3 seats or 6 percent of the total votes cast for it.

HOLY WEEK MOTORIST ASSISTANCE CENTER

The photo shows a motorist being given medical attention by Pvt. Kristine Joy Rillon of the Fort Magsaysay Special Operations Command (Medical Section) at Model Lodge No. 373’s Motorist Assistance Center in Baloc, Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija. The center was established to provide assistance to motorists during this year’s Lenten vacation. Model Lodge is grateful to the support extended by the Fort Magsaysay Special Operations Command which was facilitated by Bro. Erwin Macalinao, and the St. Jerome Petron Service Station through Bro. Lino Carandang, Jr.

JOURNEY TO THE EAST: A Photo Essay of This Year's Installation Rites

The brethren of Model Lodge No. 373 made a promise to attend every installation ceremonies this year within Masonic District RIII-D. But this was not to be as work, crazy schedules, and things unforeseen came into the way. Bro. Shubert Ciencia for his part managed to attend the ceremonies of only 6 Lodges which he tried to capture with his camera and are featured in this photo essay. He apologizes to the other Lodges he missed and promise to attend their installation rites next year.

Brother Shubert has been a photography hobbyist since 2006. His photos have been published in various web sites, travel maps, magazines, brochures, and newspapers. His take on the Central Luzon Sate University’s main gate was used by the Philippine Daily Inquirer for that university’s centennial feature article. And just recently, several of his images were published in “Huling Hudhud ng Sanlibong Pagbabalik at Paglimot para sa Filipinas Kong Mahal”, a book authored by National Artist for Literature Rio Alma. Brother Shubert’s favorite subjects are old churches and various noodle recipes which is posted in his flickr account and narrated in his personal blog --- “Shooting Churches, Eating Noodles”.