Mabini Lodge No. 39

The Name

                Named after Apolinario Mabini, the famous Filipino Mason, patriot and author who was the Grand Orator of the Gran Consejo Regional under the Gran Oriente Español.

The Lodge

A little background on how Masonry was brought to Cagayan Valley may help in understanding the history of Mabini Lodge.

After Nilad Lodge was organized in Manila in January 1892, a plan was hatched by Filipino Masons to bring Masonry to the provinces. Faustino Villaruel accepted the challenge to found lodges in Cagayan Valley. In May 1893 he traveled to Aparri where he met Don Pastor Macanaya who had joined Masonry in Spain. With Macanaya's help, Villaruel initiated, under the "celestial canopy," Alejandro Alvarado y Macanaya, Roman Reyna and Fructuoso Siloran. He then went to Tuguegarao where he initiated, also under the "celestial canopy," Gracio Gonzaga, A. Sison, Ramon Ochoa and Agustin Saquin.

In Aparri, Minerva Lodge was established, named in honor of Rosario Villaruel, the daughter of Faustino Villaruel whose Masonic name was Minerva. In Tuguegarao, Triangulo España was organized under the presidency of Pastor Macanaya, with Ramon Reyna as Treasurer and Alejandro Alvarado y Macanaya as Secretary. In this triangle were initiated Antonino Umengan, Gabriel Formoso, Alejandro Pablo, Glodoaldo Alvarado and Andres Danguilan. Within a year they were also able to initiate Pedro Alvarado, Francisco Garcia and Juan Diaz, a Sargeant in the Guardia Civil.

When the Philippine Revolution broke out in 1896, Minerva Lodge and Triangulo Esparia were closed. Gracio Gonzaga, Pedro Alvarado, Ramon Ochoa and Enrique Escurdia were imprisoned in Bilibid in Manila for over six months, while Fernando Gannaban, Esteban Quinto , Agustin Saquin, A. Sison and Dimas Guzman were confined in the provincial jail in Tuguegarao.

In October 1903, members of Rizal Lodge, a lodge under the Grand Orient of France, revived Masonry in Aparri. They established a Masonic Triangle with Gracio Gonzaga as President, Andres Bolinas as First Vigilant, Fermin Macanaya as Second Vigilant, and Ricardo Paredes as Secretary. Then in 1905, another Triangle was founded in Aparri under the presidency of Jose P. Ramos. This was the status of Masonry in Cagayan Valley when the members of Sinukuan Lodge No. 272 took steps to organize a lodge in Aparri under the Gran Oriente Espariol.

In 1906, Sinukuan Lodge No. 272 conceived the idea of founding a Regional Grand Lodge under the Gran Oriente Español. Such an organization, however, required the concurrence of at least seven lodges and at that time there were only three lodges under the Gran Oriente Espialiol. At least four lodges, therefore, had to be established. Thus the members of Sinukuan Lodge secured an authorization from the Gran Oriente Espanol in Spain for one of its members, General Venancio Concepcion, to initiate and exalt applicants up to the 3rd degree and to organized Masonic Triangles and Lodges “ under the celestial canopy” in Aparri,Cagayan.

On May 19, 1906, Concepcion founded Triangle Mabini in Aparri. It was admit ted into the Federation of the Gran Oriente Espanol on June 16, 1906 as Triangle Mabini No. 57. It officers were: Jose Ramos, President; Francisco Umengan, Treasurer; and Lucas Gonzalo, Secretary. In the following months the triangle acquired new members. Those initiated were Alejandro Macanaya, Ui Kioko, Julian Santos y Santos, Jose de los Reyes Salva, Jose Laboni Sumera, Florencio Ramos Tuynan, Fermin Macanaya y Pagggabao, Sebastian Paggabao, Fructuoso Siloran y Macabangan, Luciano Dolozon y Catucan and Fruto de Guzman.

In September 1906, the Gran Oriente Espanol authorized the conversion of the triangle into a lodge to be known as Mabini Lodge No. 290. On December 5, 1906 the lodge was solemnly constituted.

When the lodges under the Gran Oriente Espanol reached seven in number, Mabini Lodge included, they organized the Regional Grand Lodge of the Philippines. Mabini Lodge continued to grow. More applicants were initiated among whom were Tomas Aguinaldo, Blas Villamor, Vicente Sokiko, Valeriano Alambar, Joaquin  Chanchico, Cornelio Lias, Nemesio Fugganan and Francisco Torres Matteo. In 1907, the lodge initiated 25 new members. In 1908 its officers were: Venerable Master, Miguel Calfat y Salva; First Vigilant Francisco Umengan y Balatayo; Second Vigilant Fermin Macanaya; Orator, Alejandro Alvarado y Macanaya; Secretary Guardian of the Seal, Jose Celso Foz y Singson.

In 1917, the lodges under the Gran Oriente Espanol fused with the Grand Lodge of the Philippine Islands. Most of the lodges transferred to the Grand Lodge of PI on February 13, 1917. Mabini Lodge and two other provincial lodges, however, affiliated one month later. On March 15, the Grand Lodge of the Philippine Islands held a Special Communication and issued charters to the three lodges. Mabini was chartered as Mabini Lodge No. 39. On May 26, 1917, it was formally constituted.

Mabini Lodge has pioneered in the dissemination of Masonic ideas in Northern Luzon. It has sponsored the organization of Isabela Lodge No. 60 in Hagan, Isabela; Angalo Lodge No. 63 in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, Laoag Lodge No. 71 in Laoag, Ilocos Norte, now Laoag City and Gonzaga Lodge No. 66 in Tuguegarao, Cagayan.

 The lodge is the proud owner of a concrete Masonic Temple built in conformity with Masonic architecture. It was consecrated during the term of WB Calixto Aquino, under the supervision of DDGM Leandro Resureccion and Gabriel Arce ,Inspector of Gonzaga Lodge No.66 and at the same time Secretary of Mabini lodge No. 39

Location :Aparri, Cagayan