Agusan Valley Lodge No.160

The Name

This lodge was named after the 175-kilometer long Agusan Valley. It lies north of the Davao Valley with which a divide less than 200 meters in elevation separates it.

 The Agusan River, one of the longest rivers in the Philippines, drains Agusan Valley. The river passes through Butuan City and empties into Butuan Bay.

The word Agusan comes from the Visayan word, Agus, meaning to flow.

The Lodge

The idea of founding a Masonic lodge in Agusan was initially broached in 1948 by WB Julio Reyes, a government engineer, but it was not until five years later that concrete steps were taken. On March 29, 1953, a group of Masons led by WB Solomon Torrado, WB Eduardo Hibionada and Bro. Florencio Sibayan organized a lodge and named it Magallanes. A petition for dispensation was drafted, but they encountered difficulty securing the needed recommendation of Maguindanao Lodge. On June 23, 1958, another organizational meeting was held. Still they failed to bring the lodge to fruition. But they were determined. On March 28, 1960, during a fellowship meeting in Bolihon Beach, Carmen, Agusan, several brethren signed another petition. This time they named their proposed lodge Agusan Valley Lodge, after the 175-kilometer long Agusan Valley.

 On October 2, 1960 the brethren met anew to finalize their plans. Aniceto Belisario, the DDGM, was present and he favorably recommended the petition to the Grand Lodge. Finally, to the delight of the organizers, the Grand Master Luther B. Bewley gave them a dispensation.

At the Annual Communication held in April 1961 a charter was granted to Agusan Valley Lodge. On September 2, 1961 RW Pedro M. Gimenez, representing the Grand Master, constituted the lodge and immediately thereafter installed the officers led by its Master, Manuel D. Cab, and its Wardens WB Felicismo Maisog and Santiago Tan.

The troubles of the lodge , however, were not yet over. The great floods of the Agusan River in 1961 and 1962, the big fire in 1963, and the transfer of several breathren to other places dampened the spirits of the remaining members. The years 1964 to 1975 were a struggle for survival. Eventually new members were admitted and young blood was infused into the life of the lodge. From then on its membership steadily increased.

Location: Butuan City