Friday, September 25, 2009

REGULAR MEMBERS (005-2008 to 008-2009)

Bro. Aquilino Valino, Jr.
Bro. Jomari Valino
Bro. Erwin Macalinao
Bro. Marciano Dela Cruz

All 4 brothers were initiated as Entered Apprentice Masons on 24 August 2008 and passed as Fellow Craft Masons on 04 October 2008 at the at the Kapatiran Lodge No. 228 (Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija).

THIRD BATCH (005-2008 & and 006-2008). Bros. Jomari Valino (005-2008) and Aquilino Valino, Jr. (006-2008) were raised as Master Masons on 08 November 2008 at the Mario S. Garcia Memorial Lodge No. 306 (Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija).



FOURTH BATCH (007-2009 & 008-2009). Bros. Erwin Macalinao (007-2009) and Marciano Dela Cruz (008-2009) were raised as Master Masons on 24 January 2009 also at the Mario S. Garcia Memorial Lodge No. 306.



FOOTNOTE: The first photo above shows Bro. Aquilino Valino, Jr. (left) and his nephew Bro. Jomari Valino (right) while the second photo shows Bros. Erwin Macalinao (left) and Marciano Dela Cruz (right).

REGULAR MEMBERS (001-2008 to 004-2008)



Bro. Sergio Francisco
Bro. Nathaniel Elegado
Bro. Eduardo Sayco
Bro. Reynaldo Requito

All 4 brothers were initiated as Entered Apprentice Masons on 19 January 2008 at the Kapatiran Lodge No. 228 (Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija) and passed as Fellow Craft Masons on 09 February 2008 at the Talavera Lodge No. 273 (Talavera, Nueva Ecija).

FIRST BATCH (001-2008 & 002-2008). Bros. Nathaniel Elegado (001-2008) and Sergio Francisco (002-2008) were raised as Master Masons on 23 February 2008 at the Talavera Lodge No. 273 thus earning the distinction of being the first organic members of Model Lodge No. 373.

SECOND BATCH (003-2008 & 004-2008). Bros. Reynaldo Requito (003-2008) and Eduardo Sayco (004-2008) were raised as Master Masons two days after the first batch on 25 February 2008 also at the Talavera Lodge No. 273.

FOOTNOTE: Photo above shows the first organic members of Model Lodge No. 373 (from left): Bros. Sergio Francisco, Nathaniel Elegado, Eduardo Sayco, Reynaldo Requito.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

THE CHARTER MEMBERS

Model Lodges’ official list of Charter Members is a virtual gallery of Past Masters. They came from 17 Masonic Lodges in the Philippines and are 33 in all in symbolic reference to the highest degree as conferred by the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry:

CABANATUAN LODGE NO. 53, Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija
1. Bro. Antonio M. Umali (Past Master)

NUEVA ECIJA LODGE NO. 73, Quezon, Nueva Ecija
2. Bro. Monico G. Delgado (Past Master)
3. Bro. Prudencio J. Elegado (Past Master)
4. Bro. Hermenegildo C. Gines* (Past Master)
5. Bro. Jimmy C. Obejas* (Past Master)
6. Bro. Perfecto S. Parinas (Past Master)
7. Bro. Eugenio G. Ramirez

MEMORIAL LODGE NO. 90, Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija
8. Bro. Jose A. Matutino (Past Master)

VICTORY LODGE NO. 116, Camiling, Tarlac
9. Bro. Crescencio S. de Asis (Past Master)

MOISES J. DE GUZMAN MEMORIAL LODGE NO. 161, Lingayen, Pangasinan
10. Bro. Val C. Santos

GEN. LLANERA MEMORIAL LODGE NO. 168, Gapan City, Nueva Ecija
11. Bro. Pedrito M. Gabriel (Past Master)

PANTABANGAN-BONARI LODGE NO. 203, Rizal, Nueva Ecija
12. Bro. Marionito B. Guerrero
13. Bro. Renato L. Escobar (Past Master)

APOLINARIO MABINI LODGE NO. 235, Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija
14. Bro. Ramon L. Sabacan (Past Master)
15. Bro. Ronaldo A. Sadural

ZARAGOZA LODGE NO. 263, Zaragoza, Nueva Ecija
16. Bro. Rodolfo D. Yu* (Past Master)

TALAVERA LODGE NO. 273, Talavera, Nueva Ecija
17. Bro. Emil Andrew M. Dela Rosa II (Past Master and DDGM)
18. Bro. Arturo L. Ilagan* (Past Master)
19. Bro. Arnel M. Landingin (Past Master)
20. Bro. Lamberto B. Miranda (Past Master)
21. Bro. Narciso B. Cuison*
22. Bro. Jun S. Capulong*

KAPITAN PEPE LODGE NO. 293, Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija
23. Bro. Froilan M. Valino (Past Master)
24. Bro. Gov. Aurelio M. Umali
25. Bro. Alberto B. Samson

STA. ROSA LODGE NO. 297, Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija
26. Bro. Edynell I. Medina (Past Master)
27. Bro. Manolo M. Mercado

FACTORIA LODGE NO. 311, San Isidro, Nueva Ecija
28. Bro. Usec. Narciso B. Nieto (Past Master and DDGM)

EULOGIO R. DIZON LODGE NO. 321, Talugtug, Nueva Ecija
29. Bro. Anacleto C. Fernandez
30. Bro. Jaime J. Dela Cruz

PALAYAN CITY LODGE NO. 332, Palayan, Nueva Ecija
31. Bro. Wilson K. Tan 

GOV. E.L. JOSON MEMORIAL LODGE NO. 326, Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija
32. Bro. Errol V. Santiago

A.B. YAP MEMORIAL LODGE NO. 328, Victoria, Tarlac
33. Bro. Jose Ariel G. Domingo (Past Master)

FOOTNOTE: Bro. Antonio Umali also served as a District Deputy Grand Master of Masonic District RIII-D. Bro. Wilson Tan was Past Master of the Palayan City Lodge No. 332, Bro. Gov. Aurelio Umali of Kapitan Pepe Lodge No. 293, Bro. Val Santos of the Moises J. De Guzman Memorial Lodge No. 161, and Bro. Errol Santiago of the Go. E.L. Joson Memorial Lodge No. 326. Bro. Ronaldo Sadural is the incumbent Master of the Apolinario Mabini Lodge No. 325. Three of the Charter Members also served as Masters of Model Lodge No. 373 namely Bro. Anacleto Fernandez in 2009, Bro, Manolo Mercado in 2010, and Bro. Marionito Guerrero in 2011. Charter/Dual members with asterisks after their names have dimitted from Model Lodge. This post was last updated on 18 March 2012.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

OUR STORY (Part 2): Institution and Constitution

On the 31st of October 2007 in Cabanatuan City, Model Lodge was finally instituted by Most Worshipful Jaime Gonzales, Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Philippines. Among those present to witness the institution were Grand Secretary Danilo Angeles, Grand Chaplain Manuel Palomo, Senior Grand Lecturer Flor Nicolas, and District Deputy Grand Masters Emil Dela Rosa of RIII-D and Celso Paderes of RIII-F.

Installed as the officers of Model Lodge were Bro. Prudencio Elegado as Worshipful Master, Bro. Narciso Nieto (Factoria Lodge No. 311) as Senior Warden, Bro. Anacleto Fernandez (Eulogio R. Dizon Lodge No. 321) as Junior Warden, Bro. Lamberto Miranda as Treasurer, Bro. Arnel Landingin as Secretary, and Bro. Jose Matutino (Memorial Lodge No. 90) as Auditor.


Also installed were Bro. Ramon Sabacan as Chaplain, Bro. Val Santos (Moises J. De Guzman Memorial Lodge No. 161) as Marshal, Bros. Wilson Tan (Palayan City Lodge No. 332) and Errol Santiago (Eduardo L. Joson Memorial Lodge No. 326) as Senior and Junior Deacons, respectively; Bros. Marionito Guererro (Pantabangan-Bonari Lodge No. 203) and Bro. Ronaldo Sadural (Apolinario Mabini Lodge No.235) as Senior and Junior Stewards, respectively; Bro. Froilan Valino (Kapitan Pepe Lodge No. 293) as Organist, Bro. Jaime Dela Cruz (Eulogio R. Dizon Lodge No. 321) as Almoner, Bro. Eugenio Ramirez as Orator, Bro. Manolo Mercado (Sta. Rosa Lodge No. 297) as Lecturer, Bro. Monico Delgado as Harmony Officer, and Bro. Perfecto Parinas (Nueva Ecija Lodge No. 73) as Tyler.

The final listed number of the Model Lodge’s Charter Members is 33 as conceived by Bro. Prudencio Elegado in a symbolic reference to the highest degree conferred by the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry.

After its institution, Model Lodge conducted its first meeting at the Talavera Lodge No. 273 Masonic Temple where it was first conceived, and whose patronage and endorsement were instrumental in its creation. Talavera Lodge No. 273 also passed a resolution giving permission to Model Lodge, then Under Dispensation, to use its Temple until such time that Model Lodge’s own Temple is built for which an inspired Bro. Monico Delgado shelled an advance payment of P50,000.00 from his own personal funds to purchase the proposed site in Baloc.

Lodge No. 373 was later assigned to Model Lodge during the 92nd Annual Communications of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Philippines on April 2008 in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental. A month later on the 17th of May 2008, the lodge was formally constituted as Model Lodge No. 373. With the appointment of Bro. Narciso Nieto as the District Deputy Grand Master, he was replaced by Bro. Anacleto Fernandez as Senior Warden who was also replaced by Bro. Manolo Mercado as Junior Warden.

It took 7 seven years to build King Solomon’s Temple and Model Lodge No. 373 might take that number of years to build its own. For most of 2008, it held its meetings at Talavera Lodge No. 273 where its first organic members --- Bros. Sergio Francisco, Eduardo Sayco, Nathaniel Elegado, and Reynaldo Requito --- were entered, passed and raised. Model Lodge No. 373’s stated meetings were then moved to Kapatiran Lodge No. 228 and later to the Mario S. Garcia Memorial Lodge No. 306 both in Cabanatuan City.

In 2009 and during the incumbency of Bro. Analceto Fernandez as Worshipful Master, Model Lodge No. 373 finally moved to its registered address in Baloc, Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija where it continue to pursue its labors.

FOOTNOTES:
(1) The photo above shows Bro. Prudencio Elegado, Model Lodge's Charter Master, during the lodge's second public installation of officers. Kuya Amang as he is known in Masonic circles has the rare distinction of having served as a Past Master thrice having also been previously elevated as such in the Nueva Ecija Lodge No. 73 and the Zaragoza Lodge No. 263.

(2) The information and materials used in this article were culled from a document written by Bro. Monico Delgado (PM) titled “History of Model Lodge U.D.”and another article he co-wrote with Bro. Ramon Sabacan (PM) with the same title. Another source is a historical sketch from the archives of Model Lodge No. 373 with no title and no author/s listed. Bros. Lamberto Miranda (PM) and Arnel Landingin (PM) were also valuable resource persons for this article. Model Lodge No. 373's history is a work in progress and any ommissions and fallacies are unintended. Any additional information that will help illustrate a complete picture of our story will be highly appreciated.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

OUR STORY (Part 1): The Formative Years

It all started in 1999 with a conversation during a degree work for Entered Apprentice Masons at the Talavera Lodge No. 273.

Among those in a huddle were Bro. Monico Delgado of Nueva Ecija Lodge No. 73, Bros. Lamberto Miranda and Arnel Landingin of Talavera Lodge No. 273, Bro. Angelito Tomas of the Eulogio R. Dizon Memorial Lodge No. 264, and Bro. Virgilio Catbagan Jr. of San Jose City Lodge No. 309 who are mostly employees of the Talavera municipal government. The discussion was on the challenges that confront Masonic lodges in Nueva Ecija and Bro. Monico Delgado’s proposal of establishing a model lodge as a resource center that will “encourage proficiency in [Masonic] rituals” and a showcase of compliance to “the edicts of the [Most Worshipful] Grand Lodge [of the Philippines] concerning conferrals”, with the mission of elevating “Masonic relationship to a higher level” and developing “competent, respectable and honorable leaders” who will be “models of Masonic demeanor”.


Then the meetings became frequent: a brief conversation at a chance meeting, muted corner discussions during District activities, a table occupied by serious looking men talking in low tones during fellowships. Finally in April 2000, Bro. Lamberto Miranda started the push for the Model Lodge project by being the first to give a contribution of P500.00 to get things going.

There were challenges. The province of Nueva Ecija is divided into 2 Masonic districts --- the south which is basically covered by then Masonic District No. 29 and the north which is under the jurisdiction of then Masonic District No. 33 --- which complicated the charter membership of brothers from Masonic District No. 33 because Baloc, Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija where the proposed Model Lodge will be established is located in Masonic District No. 29. This problem was eventually resolved but the Model Lodge project stalled and went into a parking mode until February 2004 when brothers from the Regional Trial Court in Baloc, Sto. Domingo were invited to join and the list of Charter Members was finally drawn. Bro. Monico Delagado then approached Bro. Felicisimo Joson Jr. of Nueva Ecija Lodge No. 73 who agreed to become the Charter Master.

In a 25th June 2004 meeting, the Model Lodge project’s organizational documents were discussed and prepared. One key agreement made was to ensure the proficiency of future officers of the Lodge and their capacity in handling various tasks by being rotated to the various Lodge offices before being elevated as Worshipful Master, and then appointing those who have served as such as Secretary, Treasurer, and Auditor in that order. In a subsequent July 9 meeting, the founding brothers assigned among themselves the tasks required by the realization of the Model Lodge project including securing the listed Charter Members’ Certificates of Good Standing from their Mother Lodges which would later spawn another complication. On August 30, the committees on finance, membership, and documentation were created and a strategic planning process to determine the vision and mission of the Model Lodge project was set.

On October 8 of the same year, the following Charter Officers of the Model Lodge were appointed: Bro. Felicisimo Joson Jr. as the Charter Master, Bro. Ramon Sabacan (Apolinario Mabini Lodge No. 235) as Senior Warden, Bro. Celso Paderes (Memorial Lodge No. 90) as Junior Warden, Bro. Monico Delgado as Secretary and Bro. Gener Umipig as Assistant Secretary, Bro. Lamberto Miranda as Treasurer, Bro. Alex Villanueva as Auditor and Bro. Eugenio Ramirez (Nueva Ecija Lodge No. 73) as Assistant Auditor, Bro. Angelito Tomas as Marshall, Bro. Arnel Landingin as Chaplain, Bro. Marvin Domingo as Senior Deacon and Bro. Bro. Erick Sadural (Apolinario Mabini Lodge No. 235) as Junior Deacon, Bro. Virgilio Catbagan Jr. as Lecturer, Bro. Jasper Abalos as Senior Steward and Bro. Sebastian Tobias as Junior Steward, Bro. Alexander George Pacheco (E.L. Joson Memorial Lodge No. 326) as Organist, Bro. Eduardo Manaois as Orator, Bro. Reynaldo Santos as Almoner, and Bro. Marlon De Guzman as Tyler.

In a December 20 meeting, the founding brothers reiterated the Lodge’s name to be “Model Lodge”, agreed to hold its stated meetings every first Saturday of the month, and set a timetable for the submission of all requirements to the Grand Lodge. The founding brothers again met 9 days later to discuss the Model Lodge project’s Petition to Form a New Lodge pending before the District Deputy Grandmaster of Masonic District No. 29, and the ways and means in acquiring the necessary Lodge paraphernalia.

Throughout its formation process in 2004, the Model Lodge project was graciously supported by the brothers of Talavera Lodge No. 273 whose Worshipful Master at that time, Bro. Antonio Manabat, recommended and endorsed the creation of the Model Lodge. Unfortunately in 2005, Bro. Antonio Manabat’s car was stolen while he was attending the installation of Sta. Rosa Lodge No. 297’s officers. Among the items lost with the vehicle were the papers required for Model Lodge’s institution.

Then a long hiatus and an almost fatal blow in February 2007 with the death of Bro. Felicisimo Joson Jr. who was the appointed Charter Master. The founding brothers stopped meeting for a while but kept in touched regularly until Bro. Monico Delgado approached Bro. Prudencio Elegado also of Nueva Lodge No. 73 who agreed to replace the late Bro. Felicisimo Joson Jr. as the Charter Master. Losing no time, Bros. Monico Delgado and Prudencio Delgado with Bro. Lamberto Miranda went on with the urgent task of resubmitting the requirements for the institution of Model Lodge. Bro. Arnel Landingin who was then the Worshipful Master of Talavera Lodge No. 273 gave a second endorsement. Invaluable assistance was also extended by Bro. Emil Dela Rosa also of Talavera Lodge No. 273 who was then the District Deputy Grand Master, and Bro. Danilo Angeles who is a Past Grand Master and the Grand Secretary at that time.

(To be continued...)

FOOTNOTES:
(1) The photo above shows Bro. Monico Delgado (highlighted), a Past Master of the Nueva Ecija Lodge No. 73 and Charter Master of Zaragoza Lodge No. 263, who first proposed the establishment of a Model Lodge in Nueva Ecija.

(2) The information and materials used in this article were culled from a document written by Bro. Monico Delgado (PM) titled “History of Model Lodge U.D.”and another article he co-wrote with Bro. Ramon Sabacan (PM) with the same title. Another source is a historical sketch from the archives of Model Lodge No. 373 with no title and no author/s listed. Bros. Lamberto Miranda (PM) and Arnel Landingin (PM) were also valuable resource persons for this article. Model Lodge No. 373's history is a work in progress and any ommissions and fallacies are unintended. Any additional information that will help illustrate a complete picture of our story will be highly appreciated.