Improvement of Petitioner Selection Process

The Grand Lodge shall cause the issuance of the following implementing manuals:

  1. Manual in the Selection of Petitioners and Guidelines in the Progression of Candidates for Masonic Degrees;
  2. Comprehensive Instructions to the Investigating Committee;
  3. Code of Conduct in the Treatment of Petitioners and Candidates for Degrees

Mentorship of Candidates

  1. A permanent committee of mentors in each subordinate lodge shall be instituted composed of three Past Masters whose primary duty is to monitor, instruct and guide the progress of candidates for degrees.
  2. The Grand Lodge shall devise a comprehensive orientation seminar on Freemasonry to be held twice a year at the Grand Lodge or at the District level, to be attended largely by petitioners and candidates but likewise opened to members of families of masons and families of candidates, students or other persons interested about the craft. It shall feature both Masonic luminaries and expert lecturers in Masonic studies.

Continuing Masonic Education and Growth

The following programs shall be implemented to enhance the Masonic knowledge and skills of individual members:

  1. Observance of suggested monthly topics by the District Grand Lecturers;
  2. The suggested monthly topics shall be complemented by a Masonic lecture by a lodge member on relevant Masonic education topics to be assigned by the Worshipful Master;
  3. Within a period of thirty (30) days from the installation of the District Officers, the DDGMs, under the auspices of the concerned Junior Grand Lecturers, shall cause the holding of a mandatory Lodge Management Seminar to be attended by all lights and officers, including new master masons in their respective districts. The GLP shall formulate and prescribe the seminar module.
  4. After the conduct of Lodge Management Seminar, the DDGMs shall within the next 30 days convene a Lodge of Instruction to be attended by all lodges. The GLP shall formulate and prescribe the seminar module.
  5. The DDGMs shall nominate to the IMES five names of potential lecturers to compose the pool of expert and authorized lecturers in the jurisdiction at large. Those selected shall be in charge of coordinating and cascading vital IMES modules of instruction at the district level.
  6. The GLIs shall strictly comply with the check list of requirements for every stated meeting of lodges and shall call up the lodge’s attention for any deficiencies as noted, such as, absence of installed officers, unauthorized reading of monitors, mistakes in the execution of prescribed rituals, etc. In all instances, he shall endeavor to render a short instruction for the correction of works.

Family Involvement

Lodges shall implement greater participation of family members involving them in the following activities:

  1. Scheduled lodge charity activities such as medical and dental missions; support to public education, and other community assistance projects;
  2. Lodge family affairs such as lodge outings and sports competition;
  3. Public seminars such as Masonic orientation and public installation of officers; Lodge of Remembrance; etc.
  4. Encourage attendance and involvement of children and wives in appendant bodies and clubs such De Molay, Rainbow for Girls, Jobs Daughters, Amaranth, etc.;
  5. Organize social affairs such as Ladies Night, Valentine’s Party, Christmas Party, Ateng’s Club, etc.
  6. Enlist support and participation of family in charity fund raising activities;

Administrative and Operational Reforms

  1. Pro-Active Standing Committees - The various Grand Lodge Standing Committees shall have a mandatory monthly business meeting and shall submit a report of their activities to the Grand Master thru the Grand Secretary. Whenever necessary, they will report and recommend to the Grand Master the issuance of necessary edicts and circulars on matters covering their respective jurisdictional mandate. Any elective Grand Lodge officer, including the Senior Grand Lecturer, shall have the authority to attend or act as co-presiding officer when present in any committee hearing.
  2. Fast Communications - The Grand Lodge shall ensure that all edicts, circulars and other directives are immediately uploaded to the Grand Lodge website. The downloading of such data by the subordinate lodges and the reading of the same in the business meeting of lodges shall have the same legal effect as a regular Grand Lodge correspondence. The GLP shall likewise continue the computerization of all records, reports and other documentations.
  3. Standardization of Masonic Materials - The Grand Lodge shall cause the official and standard issuance of official ritual monitors and other Masonic publications for the standard observance of all lodges and members. In the case of ritual and floor works, the GLP shall ensure that the same is embodied in a single reference material.
  4. Advanced Programming of Masonic Activities - The Grand Lodge shall fix in advance the exact schedule of Masonic activities to be observed by the GLP and the subordinate lodges during the Masonic year. The Grand Master and other Grand Lodge Officers shall endeavor to schedule official visits to Masonic districts in the entire jurisdiction and communicate such schedule in advance to all concerned.
  5. Just and Speedy Dispute of Resolutions - The Grand Lodge shall come up with an updated inventory of pending dispute cases or charges for unmasonic conduct on file and shall require the appropriate committee to hold regular hearings or monthly stated meetings for the just and speedy disposition of cases.
  6. Updating of the Constitution - The Grand Lodge shall require the publication of the latest updated version of the Constitution to take into account all approved edicts which impacted/amended certain provisions and ensure that the Constitution shall remain as the foremost repository of masonic laws and regulations in this jurisdiction.

Financial Reforms

  1. The Grand Auditor shall formulate appropriate mechanisms to ensure that all funds and properties are duly accounted for and properly safeguarded. The Grand Auditor shall submit his Audit Report directly to the Board for General Purposes.
  2. The Grand Lodge shall require that the result of all fund-raising activities of lodges shall be properly reported to the Grand Lodge. To augment the finances of the lodge, all net proceeds of fund raising activities shall be deposited strictly to the account of the lodge which directly conducted it. The districts shall be discouraged from holding competing fund raising activities within their jurisdiction. Instead, the districts shall supervise and approve all fund raising activities and be entitled to a reasonable share of the proceeds in order to augment its operational funds.
  3. The Grand Lodge shall examine the operations of subordinate lodges with negative financial conditions and shall devise or recommend appropriate actions.

Support to Appendant Bodies and Masonic Associations

  1. The Grand Lodge shall encourage membership to and active involvement of masons for all recognized appendant bodies.
  2. The Grand Lodge shall encourage the accreditation of all masonic associations and clubs operating within its jurisdiction and shall devise appropriate rules and conditions to ensure that their operations coincide with the objectives of the Grand Lodge and the purposes of Masonry in general.

Electoral Reforms

The Grand Lodge shall cause the review of the result of our immediate electoral process and shall recommend appropriate adjustments or enhancements to existing rules as may be warranted.