THE TRESTLEBOARD

The idea of establishing a Masonic lodge in Bongabon started when WB Dr. Daniel A. Razon and WB Danilo V. Ilagan, two visiting brothers from Chicago, invited WB Virgilio S. Baldovino Sr. to a fellowship in Brgy. Tulay na Bato, Bongabon. In that gathering, the idea of organizing a Masonic lodge in the Municipality of Bongabon was discussed. Immediately thereafter, efforts were made by WB Virgilio Baldovino and other Master Masons to inform other brothers residing in Bongabon of this plan. VW Prudencio J. Elegado of Nueva Ecija Lodge No. 73 and Bro. Gen. Ricardo I. Padilla of Antonio R. Lamson Lodge No. 290 next invited all Masons residing in Bongabon to a fellowship at the residence of Bro. Romeo Tolentino in Brgy. Sampalucan on 02 November 2012. The meeting was attended by 7 Master Masons who agreed to organize a Lodge and formed an informal working group called the Bongabon Onion Travellers Club with the following officers: Bro. Ricardo I. Padilla as President, VW Prudencio J. Elegado...

In May 2009, a fellowship was held at Moreno’s Restaurant in Baler, Aurora where a group of Master Masons who are mostly from the Manuel Luis Quezon Memorial Lodge No. 262 unanimously decided to organize Kasiguruhan Lodge. VW Jonald E. Hernandez was designated to oversee and spearhead the organization of the new lodge. On 13 June 2009 during the stated meeting of MLQ 262 and in the presence of the officers of Masonic District RIII-D, VW Eduardo M. Yambot Sr. took the floor and formally put to vote the creation of Kasiguruhan Lodge. On 11 July 2009, the brethren of MLQ No. 262 led by then Worshipful Master Noel DV Vedad travelled to Casiguran, Aurora to hold its stated meeting under dispensation at the NFA Compound in Brgy. Calangcuasan where a resolution formally recommending the formation of Kasiguruhan Lodge was approved. However, supervening events led to the withdrawal of the petition to form a new lodge from the Grand Lodge of the Philippines in 2011. After a few years however, an...

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 beca...

In the earl 1990s, a number of Master Masons thought of and shared the idea of putting up a lodge in Palayan City. The idea, however, met opposition from other members of the Craft for the reason that there were then not enough brethren residing in the city to make the idea feasible. A couple of years later, another group endeavored to restart the project. Preliminary meetings were held, a set of officers was chosen, signatures for a petition were gathered but for unknown reasons, the petition was not filed in the Grand Lodge. Several attempts were subsequently made but nothing materialized. In the last 5 months of 1998 after a series of dilaogues with VW Gregorio Camiling who was then the Commanding General of the 7th Infantry Division of Fort Magsaysay, Bro. Voltaire T. Gazmin who was then Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, some senior military officers and determined Master Masons revived the idea of putting up a Masonic Lodge in Palayan City. Finally after a del...

The lodge was the braninchild of 77 Master Masons who were members of majority of lodges in Nueva Ecija. On 28 October 1985, Grand Master Pedro W. Guerzon issued a dispensation to Talavera Lodge. During the ANCOM in April 1986, Grandmaster Guerzon granted Talavera Lodge its much coveted charter after laboring for 6 months. In the meantime, the lodge acquired a donated 2,021 square meter lot from Marcial Punzalan. On 21 June 1986, Grandmaster Reynold S. Fajardo constituted Talavera Lodge No. 273. The first sons of the lodge are Danilo Uy Tak, Inocencio B. Sagun Jr. and Roberto L. Morales who were raised as Master Masons in June 1986. In 1992, through the efforts of the brethren, the lodge was able to erect its own temple that was fuly constructed during the time of Worshipful Master Pablito S. Lacanilao, Senior Warden Inocencio B. Sagun Jr. and Junior Warden Leonardo S. Ting. The lodge's Construction Committee was in charge of the project that was then headed by Florencio M. Gloria ...

Masons from Nueva Ecija who were assigned in Aurora dreamed of establishing a Masonic lodge in the province. Cabanatuan Lodge No. 53 and Kapatiran Lodge No. 228 recommended the creation of the new lodge. Acting on a petition signed by 62 Master Masons, MW Rudyard V. Bunda issued the dispensation on 14 March 14 1983. In April 1984, MW Rosendo C. Herrera granted the charter to the Manuel L. Quezon Memorial Lodge No. 262. On 09 June 1984, MW Reynato S. Puno visited Baler, Aurora and formally constituted the lodge at the Gabaldon Hall of the Baler Central School. Thereafter, the following principal officers were installed: Rodolfo C. Beltran as Worshipful Master, Diosdado Mudlong as Senior Warden and Ildefonso Evangelista as Junior Warden. A few years after the lodge was constituted, Bros. Joselito J. Angara and Pedro Calixto each donated a 1,000 square meter lot where the present temple now stands.  Among the notable members of the lodge are Gov. Gerardo A. Noveras, former Vice-Gov. I...

It was not your usual fellowship that happened on December 30, 1973 at the house of Eugenio Bitantes of Memorial Lodge No. 90. It was something else. Before that, stories were rife that the brethren were planning to put up a Masonic lodge in Rizal, Nueva Ecija. And so it happened. On that eventful day prior to the new year, the brethren formally discussed the creation of a new lodge that led to 43 Master Masons in good standing from Memorial Lodge No. 90 and Narra Lodge no. 171 to submit a petition for dispensation to form a new lodge to be named Bonari Lodge. MW Ruperto Demonteverde issued the requested dispensation on February 18, 1974. However, the lodge failed to meet the requirements and failed to get the nod of the Grand Lodge during the ANCOM but its dispensation was extended nevertheless. The lodge was able to be granted its charter after a favorable recommendation during the 1975 ANCOM, and eventually requested that its name be changed to Pantabangan-Bonari to avoid confusion ...