Pinacanauan Lodge No. 318

The Name

            This lodge was named after one of the great rivers of Cagayan Valley. Pinacanauan River, together with the Cagayan and Magat Rivers and their tributaries, bind the whole region like a circuitous cord, so that the valley's five provinces, despite diversities in belief, creed and language, have become inseparable.

The Lodge                  

            The formation of Pinacanauan Lodge was hatched in 1995 during the term of WB Vicente T. Bulan as Master of Isabela Lodge No. 60, who believed that a new lodge would not divide the brethren of his lodge, but rather, would promote and expand Masonry in the town. After preliminary consultations between and among Dionisio C. Panajon, VW Federico P. Ambatali, WB Maximo L. Cadatal, WB Cresencio V. Maramag, VW Conrado Gabriel, Jr., and other Past Masters, VW Ambatali, prepared a petition for a dispensation to form a new lodge. The group met a few times more to iron out some intricacies, after which they presented their petition for endorsement to Isabela Lodge No. 60 during its stated meeting in November 1995. In the voting, however, the petition lost by two votes. But the petitioners vigorously pursued their objective and as a result, the number of signatories to the petition increased from 30 to 50.

            On May 1, 1996, the brethren met at the PNB Compound and chose the prospective interim officers of the lodge. They agreed that the lodge would have its stated meetings every 3rd Saturday at 3:00 p.m.

            On May 4, 1996, the petition was again submitted to Isabela Lodge No.60 for endorsement. All but one voted in favor of the creation of Pinacanauan Lodge.

            Armed with DDGM Angel Bacoling, Jr.'s recommendation, the elected Master of the proposed lodge, WB Lino M. Respicio, and the other officers, hand carried the petition to the Grand Lodge and on June 3, 1996, Grand Master Jose Percival Adiong issued the dispensation, and the institution of Pinacanauan Lodge UD was set.

            On June 29, 1996, RW Leon Angel P. Bañez, Jr., Deputy Grand Master, ably representing MW Adiong, presided over the institution ceremonies of Pinacanauan Lodge U.D. at the Isabela Masonic Temple, Ilagan, Isabela. VW B.J. Torres, AGS, was Master of Ceremonies; VW Benjamin G. Brown, JGD, served as Grand Chaplain; and VW Samuel P. Fernandez, intoned the invocation.

            Installed officers of the lodge were: Lino M. Respicio, PM, Worshipful Master; Honofre B. Acosta, PM, Senior Warden; and Antonio R. Palogan, Jr. Junior Warden.

            On April 25, 1997, the Grand Lodge granted Pinacunauan Lodge a charter and assigned to it number 318. Two months later, on Junel4, 1997, Grand Master Leon Angel P. Bañez, Jr., constituted Pinacanauan Lodge No. 318 as a regular lodge. Present to give him a helping hand were: MW Pablo C. Ko, Jr., Junior Grand Warden Oscar V. Bunyi, Grand Orator Cesar de Leon Go, Senior Grand Lecturer Roberto Q. Pagotan, Grand Sword Bearer Leonardo T. Chua, VW Manolo A. Cipriano, Grand Deacon Jose A. Añez, Jr.; Senior Grand Steward Edilberto R. Frangante, Grand Organist Renato H. Cruz; DDGM
Dante E. Simon and DDGM Napoleon H. Roque.

            WB Honofre B. Acosta and the other officers of the lodge were installed by MW Pablo C. Ko, Jr., with the assistance of VW Manolo A. Cipriano and VW Conrado U. Gabriel, Jr., as Master of Ceremonies and Assistant Master of Ceremonies, respectively.
 

            Location: Ilagan. Isabela