Model Masonic Lodge No. 373

The Formative Years

It all started in 1999 with a conversation during a degree work for Entered Apprentice Masons at 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 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 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. 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.

Institution and Constitution

On the 31st of October 2007 in Cabanatuan City, Model Lodge was finally instituted by MW 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.

NOTE: This article was lifted from the Model Masonic Lodge No. 373 website.