Most Worshipful Brother Napoleon A. Soriano, the eldest of the five children of Fortunato V. Soriano, Sr. of Guimba and Felicidad M. Alejos of Gapan, Nueva Ecija, was born in his mother’s hometown on Nov. 29, 1950. He may be young in age, but he brings into his stewardship of our Grand Lodge a wealth of experience. He graduated from the Cubao Elementary School with hon­ors, and from the Ramon Magsaysay High School, also in Cubao, Quezon City, as valedictorian. He was an academic scholar at the University of the East in Sampaloc, Manila. It was in this university where he met Sis Erlinda S. Lopera, who was, like him, actively involved in the student govern­ment. When he was in his third year at the U.E. College of Engi­neering, he became a working student, first serving as officer in charge of the electrical shop of Impact Corporation in Cainta, Rizal; then as the mechanical/electrical head of the maintenance department of S & J Cottage Industries in San Francisco del Monte, Quezon City. During this period, he complemented his academic training by attending a series of seminars or creative thinking and problem solving and re­lated topics sponsored by the Philippines Inventors Society. In 1973 he was graduated from the U.E. College of Engi­neering with the degree of Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. In the year following, he passed the licensure examination for Assistant Electrical Engineer. Then he was employed in the Philippine Long Distance Telecommunica­tion (PLDT) Co. In February 1977 he passed the licensure examination for Associate Electrical Engineer; in August of the same year, that for Professional Electrical Engineer, landing on 8th place. From that year up to 1987 he served as instructor in the U.E. College of Engineering, his Alma Mater. In 1978, he took enrichment courses, such as Project Fea­sibility Study Preparation & Development and Construction Project Management, at the De La Salle and Ateneo Gradu­ate Schools. He also attended seminars on Control Adminis­tration sponsored by Konsulta Philippines Inc. In 1979, Engr. Nap Soriano attended the 4th National Con­vention of the Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers of the Philippines. In the year following, he served as Staff As­sistant in the Bldg. & Grounds Administration Division of the PLDT Co. As, such, he participated in seminars of Tech­nical Report Writing and Effective Building Administration at the Communication Consultants Inc. and the Asia Execu­tive Resources Inc., respectively. He, moreover, went on an observation trip/plant visit in several countries, such as En­gland, Germany and Japan. From 1981 to 1991 he was Manager in the Bldg. Mainte­nance Dept. of the PLDT Co. During this period he partici­pated in seminars on conference leadership, counseling as management tool, project management, building & ground maintenance, and/administrative policies and procedures. He was at the same time a part-time instructor in Electrical Engi­neering at the Perpetual Help College of Rizal in Las Pifias, Metro Manila. In 1991, he was promoted to the position of Senior Man­ager in the Bldg. Maintenance Dept. of the PLDT Co. As such, he went on another observation trip/plant visit in Ger­many, France, Belgium and Finland. In 1994, he became Senior Manager in the Civil Works­DevEx of the PLDT Co. Then from 1997 up to the present, he has served as Senior Manager in the same company’s Project Support Division II. He is set on retiring from the PLDT Co. this year in order to focus his attention on the affairs of the Craft in general and of the Grand Lodge in general. In 1982, when he was already the Manager of the Bldg. Maintenance Dept of the PLDT Co., he was initiated, passed and raised at Walana Lodge No. 13. Two years later he re­ceived the Scottish Rite degrees at Luzon Bodies. Bro. Nap demonstrated his proficiency in the three degrees of Craft Masonry. Hence, he was chosen chairman of the con­ferral team of his Mother Lodge. He was so active in the af­fairs of his Lodge that the brethren elected him Junior War­den in 1985. In the same year he received the degrees in Filipinas York Rite. Subsequently, he conferred the same de­grees to candidate of the York Rite. He also became a mem­ber of the conferral team of Luzon Bodies, A. & A.S.R., and that of the Grand Lodge. In 1986 Senior Warden Nap Soriano received from his Mother Lodge the Most Outstanding Service Award and was chosen the Outstanding Master Mason of Masonic District 1-A. His reputation as a ritualist spread like wild fire or wing of a hurricane throughout the whole jurisdiction. Hence, he was invited to preside over the installation of Blue Lodge officers as well as funeral services for deceased brethren. WB Soriano was elected Secretary of Walana and of Ma­sonic District 1-A in 1988. In the year following, he served as the Master’s Deputy for the same Masonic District; he was, moreover, conferred the Rank and Decoration of Knight Com­mander of the Court of Honor (KCCH) by the Supreme Coun­cil of SGIGs of the 33rd and Last Degree of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Republic of the Philippines. In 1990, he became a member of Afifi Temple, specifi­cally of Maginoo Shrine Oasis, A.A.O.N.M.S. In 1991, he served our Grand Lodge as Senior Grand Dea­con; in 1992, as Grand Standard Bearer. A dual member of Pagkakaisa Lodge No. 282, VW Nap Soriano was also one of the Charter Members of Baliwag Lodge No. 301 and Dr. Jose P. Laurel Lodge No. 325. He is, further­more, an Honorary Member of the following Lodges: Bagumbayan No. 4, Biak-na-Bato No. 7, Iloilo Acacia No. 11, Luzon No. 57, High Twelve No. 82, Noli Me Tangere No. 148, Sierra Madre No. 181, San Mariano No. 307, Don Anto­nio Cosin No. 308, Ganano No. 313 and San Mateo No. 319. In 1993, VW Nap Soriano served as the Treasurer of Walana Lodge No. 13. In 1994 he was an alternate candidate for the position of Junior Grand Warden. But in the year following, he was nominated for the same position. In the 1996 Annual Communication of our Grand Lodge in Cagayan de Oro City, he placed second to now Past Grand Master Franklin J. Demonteverde. In 1997, he was not nominated again. But the brethren elected him Junior Grand Warden in the 1998 Ancom in Manila. “I must give thanks first of all to the Grand Architect of the Universe and then to you, dear brethren, sapagkat kung wala kayo, wala rin ako … My election indicates that time, patience and perseverance will accomplish all things,” he stated in part in his brief acceptance speech. RW Nap Soriano, Junior Grand Warden, chaired our Grand Lodge’s Committee in Necrology; he was also vice-chair of the Committee on Finance and member of the Committee on Awards. In 1999, RW Nap Soriano was coroneted 33rd Degree In­spector General Honorary (IGH) by the Supreme Council of SGIGs of the 33rd and Last Degree of the A.&A.S.R. of Free­masonry of the Republic of the Philippines. In 2000, besides serving on several Grand Lodge Commit­tees, he acted as Secretary to the Board for General Purposes. Staunchly believing that Freemasonry is a worthwhile way of life, RW Nap Soriano has involved the members of his family in Masonic affairs. Sister Erlinda is, in fact, a member of Manila Court No. 4, Order of the Amaranth; their son Erickson, a Past Master Councilor of the Loyalty Chapter of the Order of DeMolay; and their daughter Eloisa, a member of Bethel No. 22 of the International Order of Job’s Daugh­ter. The Sorianos have involved themselves in local commu­nity development, often extending assistance to less fortu­nate neighbors and fellow men. The jeepney drivers in their employ expressed to us their admiration of the Sorianos be­nignity towards them. Most Worshipful Napoleon Alejos Soriano, our Grand Mas­ter for Masonic year 2001-2002, is optimistic we will progress as a Craft if and when we are united in purpose and proud in accomplishing things, especially the various prongs of his ad­ministrative program, together in close harmony. He is counting on the unstinted support and helpful coop­eration of all of us, members of the Masonic Family in this jurisdiction.