HERITAGE

     The plan to create a second Masonic Lodge in Surigao City has been minds of several brethren of Mt. DIWATA Lodge #236 F&AM for the past several years. There was, in fact a request for dispensation some years back to create a Surigao Strait Lodge but the submitted request was shelved and eventually withdrawn by the proponents for the reason that the conditions within the Lodge that led to it-internal squabbles and disagreements, has been sufficiently addressed. Four and a half years ago (2012), several brethren-members of Mt. DIWATA LODGE #236, borne out of their and aspirations to expand and propagate the teachings of Freemasonry in SIARGAO CITY and adjoining areas, decided to explore the feasibility of creating the second Masonic Lodge in this city. Mindful of the potential for growth in membership amidst the vast pool of qualified and worthy SURIGAONONS, they decided the time is ripe to pursue their long-held aspiration for a new and separate Masonic Lodge, this time to be named in honor of the first SURIGAO-made Mason, VW ANDONI T. DUMLAO, PDDGM,. They were joined by ten (10) brethren- members of AGUSAN VALLEY LODGE #160 in this endeavor. The journey to being recognized and chartered by the Grand Lodge of the Philippines was, however, beset by so many difficulties and its history is one for the books. Its organization transcends the terms of five Grandmasters – GABIONZA (2012), ESPINO (2013), PURISIMA (2014), RENTOY (2015) and GAZMIN (2016). The brethren first submitted the petition requesting for a Dispensation to organize a new Lodge to MW SANTIAGO GABIONZA in 2012. Three direct communications to the GLP went unanswered and when one of the petitioners personally inquired at the GLP – the reply then was the petition cannot be acted upon because some pages are missing-specifically the roster of petitioners. However, we did not receive any communication informing us of the discrepancy. But of course, we are sure that no pages were missing when it was submitted to GLP. It was only towards the end of the term of MW JUANITO G. ESPINO Jr. that the brethren were issued a Dispensation to form a new Lodge. The brethren were then naming the new lodge- ANDONI T. DUMLAO MEMORIAL LODGE (ATDML) UD. The existence of ATDML U.D. was however, very, very short. It was instituted February 10, 2014 by no less than MW JUANITO G. ESPINO Jr. presiding over the ceremonies of institution. The then GLP Committee on Charter, then chaired by the Deputy Grandmaster ALAN PURISIMA, met earlier than expected-on March 15, 2014 (instead of 1st week or middle of April), when our Lodge was just barely a month-33 days old. We really had no chance. The next Grand Master, MW ALAN PURISIMA advised the brethren to apply again but with a different name, thus, we have now the VW ANDONI T. DUMLAO MEMORIAL LODGE. The (second) Rite of Institution was held on October 18, 2014 at the Gateway Hotel with the team from GLP led by VW JUANITO B. VANO Jr., the Senior Grand Lecturer. During the April 2016 TAGAYTAY ANCOM, the Committee on Charters chaired by then Deputy GM RW VOLTAIRE T. GAZMIN and Grandmaster MW TOMAS G. RENTOY finally acquiesced, with some help from the forceful arguments coming from PGM MW ROMEO A. YU asserting our worthiness to become a duly constituted Lodge. Finally, after a journey of uncertainty for four and a half years, a new lodge came to being – VW ANDONI T. DUMLAO MEMORIAL LODGE #424. The brethren travelled to the Grand Lodge of the Philippines to attend its Rite of Constitution and Installation of Lodge Officers on June 23, 2016. The Lodge celebrated the birth of this new Masonic Lodge at a later date-July 16, 2016, through a day long activity – first stated meeting as a newly constituted Lodge, a motorcade around the City and culminated with a Grand Celebration and Fellowship in the evening. In attendance were PGMs MW TOMAS G. RENTOY and MW ROMEO A. YU together with the brethren of Masonic District R-XIII (AGUSAN-Surigao) led by the DDGM BENIGNO J. DAGANI Jr. It was fun-filled celebration befitting the triumph of determination, persistence, and labors all for the greater glory of our beloved Masonic Fraternity.