He feared no reproach for his independent views - his unassailable integrity… To the rare breed of men who overtly and consistently demonstrate independence of mind and fearless defense of human rights and democratic principles in this permissive and morally decadent age belongs the man who honored the Grand Oriental Chair during the Masonic Year 1977-78 - Calixto Oirola Zaldivar. Zaldivar saw the first light of Masonry in Acacia Lodge No. 11 when he was initiated on February 11, 1950. He was passed to Fellow Craft on March 11 and raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason on April 22 of the same year. He affiliated with the Bagumbayan Lodge No. 4 and served as its Worshipful Master in 1970. He took the Scottish Rite in the Quezon City Bodies, A. & A.S.R., on January 7, 1967. He was invested with the rank and decoration of Knight Commander of the Court of Honor on February 15, 1969; coroneted with the rank and dignity of Inspector General Honorary, 33°, on February 9, 1973; and crowned Sovereign Grand Inspector General and Active Member of the Supreme Council, Scottish Rite, on December 17, 1974. In the York Rite, Zaldivar was exalted a Royal Arch Mason, greeted Companion, R. and S.M. and dubbed a Knight Templar in the Luzon York Rite Bodies. In the other appendant organisations, Zaldivar was a member of Manila Court No. 4, Order of the Amaranth and of Sampaguita Chapter No. 3, Order of the Eastern Star. His services in the Grand Lodge started upon his election as Junior Grand Warden in 1974. He was elected Senior Grand Warden in 1975, Deputy Grand Master in 1976, and Grand Master in 1977. In his report on his stewardship of the Grand Lodge, he said: “During my incumbency as Grand Master, I always made it a point, in all my appearances before audiences of Masons and non-masons, to project Masonry. I believe the people around us have come to know more about Masonry. Besides my being Grand Master, I have also been busy with some civic work, being the President of the YMCA of the Philippines, being a member of the Supreme Council of the Order of the Knights of Rizal, being the head of the laymen’s organization of the Philippine Independent Church, being a member of the Civil Liberties Union of the Philippines and being President of the Philippine Organization for Human Rights. In all my activities, I never missed the opportunity to explain to the people what Masonry is, what it is for, and what kind of people the Masons are.” He worked, in addition, for the promotion of more youth organisations in our Jurisdiction. He was particularly interested in the establishment of an independent Grand Assembly or Grand Council of the Order of DeMolay in our country. During his incumbency, he also constituted four new lodges and issued dispensations for the formation of eight others. One Lodge in Okinawa, however, surrendered its charter, and four others were merged into two. This development led to the abolition of the Regional Grand Lodge of the Ryukyu Islands. Zaldivar was born in Pandan, Antique on September 13, 1904. Pedro T. Zaldivar, his father was a Justice of the Peace in Pandan and, you guessed it, a Mason. After graduating from Manila South High School in 1922, he enrolled at the UP College of Law and graduated in 1928. In the bar examinations given in the same year, he garnered third place. He was conferred the Doctorate degree, honoris causa, by two Universities: Doctor of Laws by the Central Philippine University in 1957 and Doctor of Humane Letters by Trinity College in 1977. From 1928-62, he practiced law in Manila and in lloilo. Zaldivar had the distinction of having served the Philippine Government in all three branches. He served the legislative branch thus: Representative of Antique, 10th Philippine Legislature, 1934-35; and Assemblyman for two terms, 1935-41. He served the executive branch this way: Municipal Councilor, Pandan, Antique, 1928-1931; Judge Advocate and Military Governor of Antique at the start of World War II; Governor of Antique, 1951-55; Member, Reparations Commission, 1963; Acting Director, Bureau of Forestry, 1963; Reparations Commissioner, 1963; Executive Secretary of President Diosdado Macapagal, 1964; and Director, Philippine Veterans Bank. He served the judiciary in his capacity as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court from 1964 to 1974. He even represented the Supreme Court of the Philippines in the meeting of the Executive Council of the World Association of Judges in Geneva, Switzerland in 1968. His involvement and leadership in civic and religious organisations may be summed up this way: President, YMCA of the Philippines, 1971-77; National Chairman, Lay Organization, Philippine Independent Church; Chairman, Burgos, Gomez, Zamora Centennial Commission; Member, Pinaglabanan Memorial Commission; Chairman, Board of Trustees, Moral Rearmament Foundation of the Philippines; Executive Vice-President, Philippine Eye and Ear Infirmary Foundation; Member, Civil Liberties Union; Member, Jose P. Laurel Foundation; Knight Grand Cross of Rizal, Order of the Knights of Rizal. When he died on October 13, 1979, he was survived by his wife (nee Elena Ang) and his five children.