THE FOUNDING OF BAGONG BUHAY LODGE UD

THE FOUNDING OF BAGONG BUHAY LODGE UD

by Bro Ric Alvarez

Bagong Buhay Lodge No. 4

The Philippines was colonized by Spain for more than three hundred years and maintained the country as its premiere colony in the Far East. As Masonry reached the shores of Spain, it was not too long for Masonry to reach the Philippines.

During the Spanish regime, Masonic Lodges in the Philippines operated under various jurisdictions of different Grand Lodges. Among them were Gran Oriente Espanol of Madrid, Spain; Gran Oriente Lusitano Unido of Portugal; Grand Lodge of Scotland; Gran Oriente de Espana; and Gran Oriente Nacional de Espana.

In 1890 Jose Rizal, a member of Acacia Lodge No. 9 of the Gran Oriente de Espana and Marcelo H. del Pilar, inspired the brethren to establish Lodges in the Philippines when they secured an authority from the Grand Council of the Gran Oriente Espanol. In December 1891, they commissioned Pedro Serrano Laktaw, together with Anacleto Ramos, Timoteo Paez and Moises Salvador, a member of Solidaridad Lodge in Madrid they established Lodges in Manila and in the provinces.

One of the Lodges formed in Manila was Sinukuan Lodge of Tondo where the three (3) founding members of Bagong Buhay Lodge, Bros. Jose Adriosola Mariano Reyes, Ladislao Nocon Diwa and Juan N. Santos were originally members.

In 1898, there were attempts by Filipino Masons to organize a Lodge in Cavite. Their efforts materialized in 1906 when they held their first meeting in the house of Bro. Jose Salamanca and the second meeting in the house of Bro. Hugo Adorable, a member of Vanguardia Lodge in the Valley of Hongkong.

On September 4, 1906, Masons in Cavite, after long deliberations, wrote the first minutes signed by nine (9) Masons, namely, Bros. Hugo Adorable, Secretary Protempore; Juan N. Santos; Eulogio Santiago; Catalino Nicolas; Andres Perez; Basilio San Jose; Antonio Rivero; Jose A.Reyes; and Ladislao Diwa to constitute a Masonic Lodge in the Valley of Cavite to be named Bagong Buhay Lodge under the jurisdiction of the Gran Oriente Espanol. Bro. Hugo Adorable 7 (Telemaco) and Bro. Jose Reyes 4 (Cromwell) are the bearers of the resolution to Sinukuan Lodge No. 272 in the Valley of Manila for their affiliation.

The First Minutes:

TO THE GLORY OF THE GREAT ARCHITECT OF THE UNIVERSE
Liberty - - - Equality - - - Fraternity

We, the members of the Fraternity of F. and A. M., at the invitation of Bro. Hugo Adorable 7 (symbolic name TELEMACO), who was active member of VANGUARDIA LODGE of the Valley of Hong Kong, have assembled this date the 4th of September, 1906, in these valleys of Cavite for the laudable purpose of founding a Masonic Lodge in these valleys, to enable us to return to active membership and labor again for our venerable institution in accordance with our solemn obligations to the Fraternity. The following resolutions have been passed and adopted by us:

1st – To solicit our affiliation with Sinukuan Lodge No. 272
2nd – To solicit the cooperation of Sinukuan Lodge in the founding of the proposed Lodge in these valleys of Cavite and ask that Lodge to recommend to the Grand Council of the Gran Oriente Espanol, the admission in its federation the Lodge that will be constituted here
3rd – The proposed Lodge will be named BAGONG BUHAY (New Life)
4th – To appoint a Committee, to be composed of Bro. Hugo Adorable 7 (Symb. TELEMACO), Bro. Jose A. Reyes 4 (Symb. CROMWELL), who will be the bearers of these resolution to SINUKUAN LODGE No. 272, in the valleys of Manila.

A letter for SINUKUAN LODGE is being prepared, expressing in detail the unanimous desire of the Brethren, in which letter all the members present will affix their signatures.

There being no further business to transact, the meeting adjourned, the members present having signed these minutes which I hereby certify to be correct.

(Sgd) Hugo Adorable
Secretary Protempore

(Sgd) Juan N. Santos (Sgd) Basilio San Jose
(Sgd) Eulogio Santiago (Sgd) Antonio Rivero
(Sgd) Catalino Nicolas (Sgd) Jose A. Reyes
(Sgd) Andres Perez (Sgd) Ladislao Diwa

On September 16, 1906, members from Nilad Lodge No. 144, Sinukuan Lodge No. 272, and Lusong Lodge No. 185 headed by WB’s Ramon Diokno, Timoteo Paez and Inocencio Concepcion, held an assembly of Masons in Cavite and proceed with the election of officers for the purpose Bagong Buhay Lodge under dispensation and elected Bro. Jose Adriosola Mariano Reyes as Worshipful Master, Bro. Ladislao N. Diwa as Senior Warden and Bro. Juan N. Santos as Junior Warden, all were prominent propagandists and revolutionary leaders.

The other officers were: Bros. Basilio San Jose, Treasurer; Hugo Adorable, Secretary; Catalino Nicolas, Orator; Eulogio Santiago, Marshall; Herminigildo Maldonado, Senior Deacon; Gregorio Medina, Junior Deacon; and Andres Perez, Almoner. They were installed on September 21, 1906 with WB Timoteo Paez of Lusong Lodge as the Installing Officer at a house located at Calle No. 8, Cavite District proper.

The charter of the Lodge was approved by the Gran Oriente Espanol of Madrid, Spain and was
delivered to WB Jose A. Reyes. On August 11, 1907, Bagong Buhay Lodge No. 291 was formally
inaugurated and the officers officially installed by Illustrious Bro. Abelardo Cuesta, a 33rd
degree Mason.

The organizers of the Lodge came from different Lodges but sixteen (16) of its founding members came from Espana En Filipinas Lodge. Also eight (8) of the Thirteen Martyrs of Cavite executed on September 12, 1896 were members of Espana En Filipinas Lodge and would have been members of Bagong Buhay Lodge. Among those who affiliated with the Lodge were nineteen (19) members of Sinukuan Lodge and two (2) members of Espana En Filipinas Lodge who were residents of Cavite. When the Lodge was officially constituted, there were already thirty (30) members in its rolls.

When Bagong Buhay Lodge was to be constituted as Lodge UD, the following brethren who were residents of Cavite but were initiated in other Lodges, affiliated in Bagong Buhay Lodge UD.

From Espana En Filipinas Lodge:
Bro. Cipriano A. Santos ............................ Bro. Antonio Rivero

From Sinukuan Lodge:
Bro. Herminigildo Maldonado ................. Bro. Gregorio Medina
Bro. Valeriano Custodio ........................... Bro. Julian Bernal
Bro. Isidro Martinez ................................. Bro. Bro. Ramon Maceo
Bro. Eusebio Lorenzana ........................... Bro. Pedro del Carmen
Bro. Bonifacio B. Reyes ............................ Bro. Marcelo Custodio
Bro. Ruperto Manuel ............................... Bro. Emilio Espinosa
Bro. Casimiro Javier ................................ Bro. Jose Cabezas
Bro. Salvador Macawas ........................... Bro. Ceferino Lorenzana
Bro. Jose Salamante ................................. Bro. Felipe Cabezas
Bro. Manuel Cosca

Among the brethren of Sinukuan Lodge No. 272 who became Past Masters of Bagong Buhay Lodge were:

WB Bro. Emilio Espinosa - 1912
WB Pedro del Carmen - 1913 – 1914
WB Felipe Cabezas - 1922
WB Valeriano Custodio - 1929

Among the brethren of the Lodge who served as Municipal President of United Cavite under the American government and the present set up of government were:

Bro. Hugo Adorable - 1905 – 1906
Bro. Gregorio Medina - 1909 – 1911
WB Gervasio Pangilinan PM - 1919 – 1921
WB Francisco Advincula PM - 1922 – 1924 and 1925 – 1927
Bro. Ramon Samonte - 1928 – 1930 and 1931 – 1933
WB Julian C. Medina Jr. - 1980 – 1986 and 1988 – 1989
Bro Bernardo S. Paredes - 2001-2004; 2004-2007; 2007-2010

The first candidate to be initiated in Bagong Buhay Lodge No. 291 on September 7, 1907 was Bro. Roberto Cabezas, a brother of the late Bro. Eugenio Cabezas, one of the Thirteen Martyrs of Cavite. The second candidate initiated was Bro. Rafael Palma. He was raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason on July 14, 1908, affiliated with Sinukuan Lodge No. 272 and became the Master of the Lodge in 1914-1915 and in 1920, he was elected and became the seventh (7th) and second (2nd) Filipino Most Worshipful Grand Master of F. & A. M. of the Grand Lodge of the Philippine Islands and the fourth (4th) to hold such position under the alternating scheme. He was also the first elected Representative of the Province of Cavite.



Source / Reference

1. Bagong Buhay Lodge No. 17 (F&AM), 73rd Annual District Convention Souvenir Program November 25, 2005
2. Municipal Presidente de Cavite, Cavite City Government
3. Bagong Buhay Lodge No. 4 Historical Gallery of the Past