Naga City Lodge No. 257

The Name
           

            The lodge is named after the largest city in the Bicol region, where the lodge is situated. Naga is the Bicol word for the narra tree (pterocarpus indicus). It also refers to the figurehead on the prow of ships and to wild ducks. Naga City was the seat of Nueva Caceres, the bishopric that during early times was a
thriving international port. Greek and Russian family names traced to mariners and traders, still exist in this city.
 

The Lodge
           

            This lodge was conceived on April 11, 1981 by twenty-seven Master Masons, twenty-six of whom were members of Isarog lodge No. 33. Led by Eugenio L. Ong, Ludovico Madrid, Tomas Reyes, Jesus Raquitico, Thomas T. Enrile Pablo N. Roco, Hargun K. Ramchand, Dilip Lawlani, William Blevins, Cayetano Zantua, Lazaro Vargas and Rafael Flameno, the founders commissioned Eugene Ong, Tomas Reyes and Gorgonio Portuguez to present to the Grand Lodge their petition for the issuance of a dispensation to form a lodge. The three met with incoming Grand Master Simeon Rene Lacson on April 23, 1981 and on May 14, 1981, when he was already the Grand Master, MW Lacson issued the requested dispensation. Named Dispensation officers were Eugene L. Ong, Worshipful Master; Benito S. Ngo, Senior Warden and Pedro S. Pimentel, Junior Warden.

            Naga City Lodge had a running start. In less than a year it held twenty meetings, initiated ten petitioners, passed four brothers and raised three to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason. Based on its performance, the Grand Lodge granted it a charter during the annual communication held in April 1982 and assigned to it the number 257. On July 24, 1982, Grand Master Rudyardo V. Bunda, with the assistance of Grand Lodge officers and other Masonic dignitaries duly constituted Naga City Lodge.

            This young lodge has already produced two District Deputy Grand Masters and six District Grand Lecturers. Considering the high quality of its present members there is no doubt it will be the source of more leaders of the fraternity in the future.

            Location: Naga City