Ganano Lodge No.313
The Name
The Lodge was named after the Ganano River which traverse the Provinces
The Lodge
After years of conceptualizing and planning, a petition to form a new lodge in Echague, Isabela was forwarded to the Grand Lodge on February 11, 1994 by thirty-seven Masons who were residing in or near the municipalities of Alicia and Echague, Isabela. Of the thirty-seven (37) brethren, nineteen came from Cagayan Valley Lodge No. 133, eight from Maharlika Lodge No. 180, three from Rufino S. Roque Lodge No. 289, one from Tumauini Lodge No.251, one from Isabela Lodge No. 60, one from Magat Lodge No. 68, one from Pantabangan-Bonari Lodge No. 203, one from Villaverde Lodge No. 206, one
from Urdaneta Lodge No. 302 and one from Saranay Lodge No. 193. The members chose the nearby National Irrigation Administration Training Center in San Fabian, Echague, Isabela as their temporary meeting place
The petition was recommended for approval by Cagayan Lodge No. 133, however, the Grand Master at the time, MW Rizal D. Aportadera, did not act on it because of defects in the papers of some of the petitioners. When twenty- six of the petitioners succeeded in curing the defects, the new Grand Master, MW Pablo C. Ko, Jr., issued a dispensation on June 30, 1994 authorizing the twenty-six to form and open a lodge after the manner of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons and thereafter to admit to membership and make Freemasons, according to the ancient customs. MW Ko named Virgilio T. Velasco, to be the first Master, Felipe A. Salvador, to be the first Senior Warden, and Relli C..
Pableo, to be the first Junior Warden, of the new lodge.
On July 7, 1994, MW Ko opened a Special Communication of the Grand Lodge before a big crowd of municipal government officials and employees and plain townspeople gathered at the Community Center and proceeded to institute the lodge with the help of Deputy Grand Master Danilo D. Angeles, VW Ernesto A. Malapaya, VW Leonardo P. Chua, VW Mariano Fernando, VW Ric Uy,
VW Oscar Bunyi, DDGM Abraham C. Domingo and other dignitaries. Immediately thereafter MW Ko installed the officers of the lodge. A program followed during which speeches were delivered by Bro. Fernando V. Barbaran, Mayor of Echague, WM Velasco, and MW ko.
At the next election of the lodge, Bro. Mayor Fernando Barbaran was elected Junior Warden. However, before the scheduled date of Installation he died in an accident. Bro. Dominador G. Mapili was elected to take his place.
During the annual communication of the Grand Lodge in April 1995. Ganano Lodge U.D. was granted a charter and became Ganano Lodge No. 313. On June 3, 1995, Grand Master Danilo D. Angeles had the pleasure of constituting Ganano Lodge No. 313.
The men who have occupied the oriental chair of Ganano Lodge so far are:
1. Virgilio T. Velasco - 1994-1995
2. Relli C. Pableo - 1995-1996
3. Dominador G. Mapili - 1996-1997
4. Antonio A. Portabes - 1997-1998
5. Walton B. Delos Trinos - 1998-1999
6. Arthur L. Coquia - 1999-2000
7. Herculano A. Maulit - 2000-2001
8. Efren M. Cacatian - 2001-2002
Ganano Lodge No. 313 has already initiated, passed and raised 26 true and good men. It has also regularly admitted 25 dual members. Of this number, four have already dropped their working tools.
At present, the lodge meetings are being held at the Northern Philippines Grains Complex (NPGC), in San Fabian, Echague. Its by-laws have been amended to change the date of meetings from the first Monday to the First Friday of the month, at 6 o'clock in the evening.
The late WB Virgilio T. Velasco, the Charter Master, donated a piece of land at the Velasco Subdivision in San Fabian, Echague, Isabela where the proposed Lodge Temple will be built. It is a plan which the brethren hope to realize in the near future.
Finally, the members of Ganano Lodge No. 313 have been very active in district affairs and same of them have served as DDGMS, DGLs and GLIs.
Location: Echague, Isabela