DDGM Hossain Fetes the Brethren on His 43rd Birthday

As he turned 43 in the time of the pandemic, DDGM Hossain Shamsoddin Vostakalaei feted his subordinate Lodges to a birthday party like no other, which is virtual and by gifting all 8 Lodges of Masonic District RIII Nueva Ecija East and Aurora with P10,000 each to celebrate with him in a way that is compliant with the current restrictions on mass gathering.     

The Big Man of Nueva Ecija East and Aurora is indeed that, soft spoken with a generous heart and a big smile, a humble person who would serve the brethren their drinks in post-Lodge visitation fellowships depsite being the guest of honor, down to earth to the max that few knew that he actually holds a PhD (Doctor of Philosopy) on Educational Management and is in fact the president of the Dr. Gloria D. Lacson Foundation Colleges.

Many wondered at his long foreign-sounding name which is a reflection of his Persian heritage --- his father, Engr. Massoud Shamsoddin Vostakalaei (Doctor of Education) was originally from Iran who was sent to study in the Philippines where he met and married the former Dr. Crescencia Lopez Vito Cruz (MD), an obstetrician and scion of one of Pasay City's landed family whose grandfather donated the lot where the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex now stands along what is now Pablo Ocampo Street which is formely Vito Cruz Street. 

His father was a muslim who eventually converted to the Methodist faith. His mother was the founding Medical Director of the Dr. Gloria D. Lacson General Hospital in San Leonardo who with her husband would eventually establish in 1993 what was then the Dr. Gloria D. Lacson College, now known as the Gloria D. Lacson Foundation Colleges, in honor of their spiritual mother. 

DDGM Hossain was born in Cabanatuan City and is as Filipino as can be. He was raised as a Master Mason in 2003 at the young of 25 at Talavera Lodge No. 273. When asked why he opted to petition for degrees in Talavera despite being from San Leonardo, he responded with a smile that "Dito tumibok ang puso ko". He would eventually become a dual member of General Llanera Lodge No. 168 which he served as Worshipful Master in 2015.

DDGM Hossain is married to the former Miss Jasmin Atendido of Gapan who also holds a PhD on Educational Psychology with whom he share the joy of raising their three sons. 

Although DDGM Hossain must be the silent type, he is really a funny man but his motto reflecting his muslim heritage says it all: "With patience, vinegar can be made into honey". In other words, tiyaga tiyaga lang. 

He also believes it's not about the titles and designations that spells the difference in Masonry but rather how we act and how we will later be judged by others. He is "Pusong Mason" and he is what it is.