Monday, August 27, 2007

THE CHARTERING OF BAGONG BUHAY LODGE NO. 291

On August 11, 1907, the Charter of Bagong Buhay Lodge referred as Lodge No. 291 under the jurisdiction of Gran Oriente Espanol in Madrid, Spain was approved and the Lodge was formally inaugurated and the officers officially installed by the following Grand Regional Lodge Officers of the Grand Regional Lodge of the Philippines under the Sovereign Obedience of the Gran Oriente Espanol of Madrid, Spain: Illustrious WB Abelardo Cuesta, a 33rd degree Mason as the Installing Officer; Grand Lodge Officer Ramon Zamora 18th degree; Grand Lodge 2nd Vice President Timoteo Paez 13th degree; Grand Lodge Master of Ceremonies Pablo D. Palma 4th degree; Grand Lodge Almoner Daniel Morales 3rd degree; Grand Lodge Assistant Secretary Epifanio Saguil 3rd degree; and Grand Lodge Officer Jose P. Ramos. WB Jose Reyes served the Lodge from 1906 to 1910, in 1915, and in 1916. He was the great grand father of the former City Vice Mayor Bro. Dhino Carlo Reyes Chua, also of Bagong Buhay Lodge No. 4.

During the grand assembly in 1906, Bro. Ladislao Diwa and WM Jose Reyes took part in the organization of the Grand Regional Lodge of the Philippines, and in 1907, it was constituted under the jurisdiction of the Gran Oriente Espanol where WB Reyes was elected Grand 4th Vice President.

Among the more prominent members of the Grand Regional Lodge of the Philippines were Apolinario Mabini, Felipe Buencamino, Ramon Diokno, Pantaleon Garcia, Baldomero Aguinaldo and Emilio Aguinaldo.

The Grand Regional Lodge of the Philippines was similar to the earlier initiatives of Filipino Masons to have a separate but equal jurisdiction over its territorial Lodges, when in 1894 they initiated the founding of the Grand Regional Council of the Philippines.

After the constitution of the Grand Regional Lodge of the Philippines in 1907, four (4) Lodges were formed, Balagtas (149); Taliba (165); Pilar (203); and Bagong Buhay (291).

And of the four Lodges formed after the constitution of the Grand Regional Lodge of the Philippines, only Bagong Buhay was newly established; the others were revived, reconstituted or reorganized old Lodges. In effect, Bagong Buhay Lodge was really the “First New Lodge” founded under the auspices of the Grand Regional Lodge of the Philippines.

The other founding Lodges of the Grand Regional Lodge of the Philippines were Nilad (144); Walana (158); Dalisay (177); Sinukuan (272); and Mabini (290).


Bro. Ric Alvarez
Bagong Buhay Lodge No. 4


Sources/References

Bagong Buhay Lodge No. 17 F&AM 73rd Annual Masonic District Convention 11-28-2005
Francis A. Gealogo, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of History, School of Social Sciences, Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines

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