Palayan C ity Lodge No, 331

The Name
 

          Named after the city in Nueva Ecija where the lodge is located. "Palayan" is a Tagalog word that denotes ricefield.

          On March 25, 1952, the leaders of Nueva Ecija held a consultation meeting to consider the transfer of the Capital of the province from Cabanatuan City to another municipality. After lengthy discussions, it was agreed that the government stock farm within the municipalities of Laur and Bongabon be made the Capital town. Through their lobbying, Republic Act No. 4475 was enacted on June 19, 1965 making the stock farm the new Capital of Nueva Ecija. While the farm was not a rice land, "Palayan" was chosen as its name because the province is known as the rice granary of the region and of the country.

The Lodge

          On August 31, 1999, sundry brethren from several lodges in Nueva Ecija and lodges as far away as Sarangani and Misamis Oriental filed a petition with the Grand Lodge for the issuance of a dispensation to organize a lodge in Palayan City to be known and designated as Palayan City Lodge. Kapatiran Lodge and Pantabangan-Bonari Lodge and the DDGM of District No. 29 favorably recommended the petition. On October 1, 1999 Grand Master Franklin Demonteverde issued the requested dispensation and named Angel Merez, Jr. as the Dispensation Master, Severino G. Abad as the Senior Warden and Alfredo Aleiandria as the lunior Warden. On the same day he motored to Nueva Ecija where, with the assistance of Masonic dignitaries, he instituted the lodge and installed its officers.

         At the annual communication of the Grand Lodge on April 27-29, upon recommendation of the Committee on Charters, it granted a charter to the lodge and assigned to it the number 331. On June 10, 2000, Grand Master Oscar V. Bunyi formally constituted the lodge and installed its officers.

Location: Palayan City, Nueva Ecija