The Governor… “We impress other people when we call a fellow mason a brother,” Serafin L. Teves used to tell his Brother Masons, “but do we really mean it?” This is a query a number of Masons have been hard put to answer categorically. It was the Grand Master’s tool of stimulating the Masons to co-operate in launching the Masonic leadership’s general policy statement “Make Masons Manifest More Masonry” into a reality. The policy statement sounded euphonious because alliterative; generally however, it was the Brethren’s fervent hope that the officers in the Grand Orient would give it more than just lip service. The hope was fervent because it was based on trust in the joint talents of their officers. Teves’ talents began to flower in Bais, Negros Oriental, where his parents, Don Emilio Teves and Doña Pilar Lajato were prominent citizens. Naturally, their youngest son Serafin, born on October 28, 1895, profited from that prominence. After his public-school education in his hometown, he transferred to Siliman Institute (now Siliman University), at Dumaguete in 1908. His father’s death in 1913, however, interrupted his schooling. About a year later, he returned to Siliman to finish his junior high-school year. He finished the secondary course in Manila, where he served as private secretary of his uncle, Rep. Felipe Tayko. He hankered to begin his studies in dentistry, but he had a change of heart. He went back to Bais in order to attend to the family farm. In 1919, he married the former Milagros Montenegro. They had 12 children who in turn gave the couple over 50 grandchildren. Besides managing his family’s farm, he tenanted with his father-in-law. Hard work and discipline enabled him to acquire his own farm and additional landholdings. He ramified, eventually, into business: theatres, movie production, rural banking, hotel, cattle ranch, and other productive enterprises. Teves was a disinterested person. Hence, he shared his time, energy and wealth for community service. He organized the Dumaguete Rotary Club, serving as its president. He also held the presidency of the Bais-Tanjay Sugar Planters Association twice. He was also a member of both the Dumaguete City Planning Commission and the Negros Oriental Planning Commission. In 1923, he was drawn into politics through his appointment as councilor of Bais. Later, he was elected vice-mayor and then mayor. In 1955, he became Governor of Negros Oriental. But after his gubernatorial stint, he quit politics to devote more of his time to community work and to his Masonic activities. He served, likewise, as member of the Board of Review for Motion Pictures. Teves was made a Master Mason in Mt. Kaladias Lodge No. 91 in 1923, and served this Lodge as Master the following year. He became a Scottish Rite Mason in 1949, a Royal Arch Mason in 1951, and a Shriner in 1954. He was honored in the Scottish Rite with the rank and dignity of a Knight Commander if the Court of Honor in 1958, coroneted Inspector General Honorary in 1964 and crowned Sovereign Grand Inspector General in 1974. He was supervisor of the Supreme Council for the East Visayas Bodies, A. & A. S. R. Helping in the organization of the Josefa Llanes Escoda Chapter No. 11, OES, he served the Chapter as Worthy Patron for two years. He lent a helping hand, too, in organizing the following: the Lodge of Perfection of Dumaguete, which metamorphosed into the East Visayas Bodies; the Royal Arch Chapter, the Leon Kilat Chapter of the Order of DeMolay; and Bethel No. 3, Order of Job’s Daughters. After serving as District Deputy Grand Master for District No. 14, he was elected Junior Grand Warden in 1962, Senior Grand Warden in 1963, Deputy Grand Master in 1964, and Grand Master in 1965. Masonic love is, as Teves would define it, never to say “Brother” without meaning it. This Masonic giant passed to the next life on November 18, 1990 at the age of 95 years.