Dr. Jose Hofileña Sr. Memorial Lodge No. 153

The Name

The lodge was originally named Pagadian Lodge. It is said that the early settlers of Pagadian City were the Subanons who set up a fishing and trading village along the shore. They called their settlement Pagadian, a corruption of the Maguindanao word "padian," which means "marketplace."

 In the early 1960's the members renamed their lodge Don Juan S. Alano Memorial Lodge in honor of Past Grand Master Juan S. Alano, but in 1976 they changed its name back to Pagadian Lodge. In 1998, the members again changed the name of their lodge, this time to Jose Hofilena Lodge in honor of an outstanding mason who was a pillar of the lodge. WB Hofilena was the Master of this lodge from 1961 to 1965 and again in 1969 and 1970.

The lodge

On November 1, 1958 several brethren residing at or near Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur sent a petition to the Grand Lodge requesting that they be issued a dispensation authorizing then to open a lodge in Pagadian to be named after the city. On January 14, 1959 Grand Master Howard R. Hick issued the requested dispensation.

The members immediately buckled down to work and at the Annual Communication held in April 1959 the lodge was granted a charter. On May 19, 1950, the new Grand Master, Macario M. Ofilada, assisted by Grand Lodge Officers and other members of the Grand Lodge, opened a Special Communication of the Grand Lodge and constituted Pagadian Lodge No.153. Immediately after the ceremonies , Grand Master Ofilada installed the officers of the new lodge with the help of VW Hermogenes P. Oliveros who served as Master of Ceremonies.

Location: Pagadian City