Bongabong Lodge No.324
The Name
Named after the town of Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro where the lodge is situated.
The Lodge
The Lodge
On March 25, 1998, fifty-three Master Masons who were members of various lodges in Oriental Mindoro, Manila, Las Pinas, Davao, and Batangas filed a petition praying for a dispensation to organize a lodge to be holden in Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro. Tamaraw Lodge, Halcon Lodge and DDGM Patrick M. Casao, Jr favorably endorsed the petition.
On March 27, 1998, Grand Master Leon Angel P. Banez issued the requested dispensation and named Pablo Elaurea to be the first Master, Ronald Moreno to be the first Senior Warden and Godofredo Hernandez to be the first Junior Warden, of the new lodge. On the same day, the lodge was instituted and its officers installed into office. In April 1999 it was granted a charter by the Grand Lodge and assigned the 324.
Bongabong Lodge No.324 was constituted and its officers publicly installed on July 31, 1999 at the Ernesto L. Umali Gym in Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro. Over 100 guests witnessed the double event. RW Napoleon Soriano presided over the constitution ceremony, while MW Pablo C. Ko, Jr., PGM, installed the officers.
After the ceremonies, speeches were delivered by the Master, VW Pablo M. Elauria, Vice Governor and Brother Bart Marasigan, and Bro. Alex I. Enriquez, Municipal Mayor.
Bongabong Lodge acquired a 600 sq.m. lot in Barangay Labasa while it was still under dispensation. Determined to have their own Temple, the members laid the cornerstone of the future edifice on January 29, 2000. VW Celso B. Sarmiento, DDGM for District No. 10, presided over the ceremonies. VW Rodolfo Tor, DDGM for District No. 3 and a charter member of Lodge Bongabong, ably assisted him, acting as DGM during the solemn ceremony. Others who participated in the ceremony included VW Servando Lara. WBs Jun Lagsac and Ruel Dote, and Bros. Alex Enriquez, Rogelio Maulion, Herbert Huggins. Ronilo Landicho, Cris Torino and Augusto Arayata.
The presence of Bro. Herbert Huggins and his wife, Sis Celane, lent the event a deeper significance since they had facilitated the donation of the subject! site by their daughter, Ms. Irene Watiwat Mason.
Location: Bangabong, Oriental Mindoro.