Malinaw Lodge No. 25

Tha Name

Malinaw is a Tagalog word meaning "clear," "limpid." The lodge was named Malinaw because most of the founders were residents of Bo. San Lucas in San Pablo, Laguna which barrio is also locally known as Malinaw. Incidentally, another name that was proposed for this Lodge when it was being organized was Kabunsad.

The Lodge

Malinaw Lodge was founded by fourteen Masons who met in the house of Feliciano F. Exconde in San Pablo, Laguna. On October 23, 1912, it was admitted into the Federation of the Gran Oriente Espanol as Malinaw Lodge No. 240, with the following as its first set of officers: Feliciano F. Exconde, Master; Mariano Sayo, Senior Warden; Antonio Aguirre, Junior Warden; Miguel Leonor, Treasurer; and David Aguirre, Secretary.

In February 1917, Malinaw Lodge transferred to the Grand Lodge of the Islands and became Malinaw Lodge No. 25.

The first meetings of the lodge were held in the residence of WB Exconde, but when membership increased, they moved to the house of Bro. Dalmacio Celino and then to the second floor of the building owned by Bro. Pablo Tan.

 The brethren, desirous of having a permanent meeting place, organized the Malinaw Temple Association, Inc.  for that purpose. Their fervent wish was realized when a two-storey building was erected in 1919 in Gen. Luna St. In 1925, however, the local government expropriated the site to build a hospital, so the lodge had to relocate. Two years later, the government also bought the lot where the lodge was relocated to build a nurses dormitory. A new lot was purchased on the corner of T. Azucena and J. Zulueta Sts., but the members were unable to build on it.

From 1942 to 1945 the labors of the lodge were suspended because of the Second World War. Meetings were resumed in 1946 and two years later a new Temple was completed.

For many years, Malinaw Lodge No. 25 has been very visible in the community through its charitable institution - the Malinao Foundation, Inc.

 Malinaw Lodge is proud that three of its members have occupied the Grand Oriental Chair - Werner P. Schetelig, Howard Hick and Oscar Bunyi.

Location: San Pablo City