Bud Bongao Lodge No. 288

The Name

            "Bud" is a Tausog term meaning "mountain," while "Bungao" is the name of a town in Tawi-Tawi in the southernmost part of the archipelago where the lodge is located
 

The Lodge

            Bud Bongao Lodge No. 288 was created by thirty (30) brethren of Bud Daho Lodge No. 102 located in Jolo, Sulu who had dreamt of forming a new Masonic lodge in the heart of Bongao municipality in the province of Tawi- Tawi. Their dream was fulfilled on June 8, 1989 when Grand Master Juan C.
Nabong, Jr., issued a dispensation authorizing them to form a new lodge to be called Bud Bongao Lodge.

            Due to problems in the mails, the dispensation was received only in October of that year. This notwithstanding, the founders were able to hold 14 meetings prior to the annual communication of the Grand Lodge in April 1990. The Committee on Charters, therefore, recommended that the lodge be given a charter and assigned number 288.

            Grand Master John L. Choa duly constituted Bud Bongao Lodge No. 288 as a regular lodge on June 11, 1990. Immediately thereafter he installed the following first set of officers, namely, Bros. H. Sardani J. Hadjirul, Namli Salasa and Benjamin Obsequio as Worshipful Master, Senior and Junior Wardens, respectively. The following day, MW Choa presided over the laying of the cornerstone of the Temple of the lodge.

            Location: Bongao, Tawi-Tawi