Moises J. De Guzman Memorial Lodge No. 161 ( formerly known as Lingayen Lodge)
The Name
This lodge was originally named Lingayen Lodge, after the capital town of Pangasinan, where it is located. In 2000 the members changed its name to Moises J. de Guzman, in honor of one of the organizers of the lodge and its chief benefactor.
The Lodge
Sometime in 1960, several brethren belonging to different lodges attended a caucus upon the invitation of WB Vicente B. Tecson and agreed to establish a lodge in the capital town of Lingayen, Pangasinan. Among those present were WB Moises de Guzman, WB Juan Jimenez, WB Federico Sto. Tomas, Casiano dela Rosa and Inocencio de Guzman.
The reaction to the plan the other Masons in the area was rather discouraging. Some feared that it would not prosper because the town is a predominantly catholic community. Instead of being discouraged, however, the organizers became more determined to push through with the idea. A petition to form a lodge was submitted to the Grand Lodge, hand carried by the elected Secretary, on August 23, 1960. Two days later, after a brief study, Grand Master Luther B. Bewley issued a dispensation authorizing the formation of Lingayen Lodge, U.D. MW Bewley named Ireneo Baltazar as Worshipful Master, Manuel P. Eviota as Senior Warden and Federico Sto. Tomas as Junior Warden, of the new lodge.
On April 25,1961, during the annual communication of the Grand Lodge, it granted a charter to Lingayen Lodge No. 161. The following month, on May 20,1961, early in the morning, nine Grand Lodge Officers headed by Deputy Grand Master William H. Quasha, boarded a train for Pangasinan. At 7:30 in the evening of the same day they opened a Special Communication of the Grand Lodge for the purpose of constituting Lingayen Lodge No. 161. Rt Wor. Quasha presided over the ceremonies. Immediately thereafter Rt Wor. Quasha installed the officers of the lodge with VW Hermogenes Oliveros acting as the Master of Ceremonies. During this period, the lodge held meetings at the Methodist Church Social Hall Building paying only a token rental.
In 1965, the brethren started the construction of a Temple on the lot which the late Moises de Guzman donated a year earlier. It was completed in 1969, thanks to the initiative of Bro. Jose M. Santos. In recognition of his invaluable support in the construction of the lodge Temple, the Secretary's room was named after him.
Succeeding Worshipful Masters left their footprints on the Temple; each one contributed an improvement. The ground floor was improved during the term WB Dominador P. Navarro in 1977-1978, while WB Rodolfo C. Carolino added the checkered floors, railings and paintings in 1979. Various renovations were also undertaken during the incumbency of WB Filipino Soriano (1981); WB Wilfredo Vallejos (1983) and WB Roberto J. Navarro (1988); and WB Paul M. Verzosa (1989). In 2000, after the death of WB Moises J. de Guzman, the members passed a resolution renaming their lodge in his memory.
Location: Lingayen, Pangasinan