Itawes Lodge No. 215

The Name          

               Itawes is a minor Philippine dialect spoken by some peoples of the south western portion of Cagayan, namely the residents of the municipalities of Piat, Tuao, Rizal and Sto. Niño. Itawes comes from the prefix "I” meaning "people of” and the word "tawid" meaning "across the river" and means "people from across the river."

The Lodge

               After the Second World War several residents of southwestern Cagayan became members of the Fraternity. The first to join the Craft were Silverio Maramag and Mariano Agustin of the municipality of Piat. Francisco Ladia and Eugenio Orteza of Tuao and Rizal, and Domingo Ng and Francisco Abbariao of Piat, later joined them.

               Early in 1976, WB Mariano Agustin broached the idea of founding a lodge to WB Alberto Gampoña, an RTC Judge assigned at Tuao.. At that time there were only three lodges in the district, Mabini Lodge No. 39 at Aparri, Cagayan; Gonzaga Lodge No.66 at Tuguegarao, Cagayan; and Rio Chico Lodge No. 192 at Tabuk, Kalinga-Apayao. These lodges were about one hundred kilometers apart and could only be reached through rough and rugged roads.

                WB Gamporia discussed the matter with VW Leandro Resurreccion, the DDGM of the District, and after the support of other brethren was enlisted, a petition for the issuance of a dispensation was prepared. Signed by twenty-four Master Masons, it was forwarded to the Grand Lodge. On May 15, 1976, Grand Master Jose L. Araneta issued a dispensation authorizing the petitioners to form Itawas Lodge and named WB Albnerto Gampoña as Worshipful Master, Eugenio Orteza as Senior Warden and Mariano Agustin as Junior Warden of the new lodge. All the petitioners were residing in and around Piat, Cagayan and were members of Gonzaga Lodge No. 66 and two other lodges.

               At the annual communication of the Grand Lodge in April 1977 the Committee on Charters recommended that the lodge be given a permanent charter. The Committee found that, during its life under dispensation, Itawes Lodge acquired adequate paraphernalia, initiated, passed and raised two petitioners, and already had plans to erect a Temple on a lot that was being donated by a brother. Itawes Lodge was granted a charter and assigned number 215

               On August 27, 1977, Grand Master Calixto O. Zaldivar and his party of Grand Lodge Officers motored to Piat, Cagayan for four reasons, first, to attend the convention of District No. 2, second, to lay the cornerstone of the proposed Temple of Itawes Lodge, third, to constitute Itawes Lodge and, fourth, to install the officers of the lodge. MW Zaldivar officiated during the laying of the cornerstone of the Temple of Itawes Lodge and in constituting it. After these ceremonies, the following officers of the lodge were installed: Bros: Alberto Gampona, Eugenio Orteza and Mariano Agustin as Worshipful Master, Senior and Junior Wardens, respectively Itawes Lodge subsequently transferred to Tuao. The brethren acquired a 300 sq. m. lot in Accusillian, Tuao from Bro. Rogelio P. Matalang who sold it to them for only half the price. A fund raising campaign was then started which elicited generous pledges from several brethren. On November 28, 1998, Grand Lodge Officers laid the cornerstone of the proposed temple of the lodge Municipal Officials of Tuao and Barangay Officials of Accusillian, Tuao, graced the occasion

               Location: Tuao, Cagayan