Rufino S. Roque Memorial Lodge No. 289

The Name

            Rufino S. Roque, in whose honor the lodge was named, was a revered brother in the community where the lodge is located. A Past Master of Cagayan Valley Lodge No. 133, Bro. Roque also became a member of Laoag Lodge, Cordillera Lodge and Mallig Plains Lodge. He also occupied two Grand Lodge positions.

The Lodge

            This lodge is a creation of twenty-six (26) brethren coming from Cagavan Valley Lodge No. 133, Magat Lodge No. 68, Saranay Lodge No. 193 and several other neighboring lodges, who signed a petition requesting the Grand Lodge to issue a dispensation authorizing them to form a new lodge in the town of Cordon in Isabela. In the past, the move to form a lodge in Cordon was hampered by opposition to Masonry on religious grounds, but as more and more residents received the degrees of Masonry in lodges located in neighboring towns, the required number of petitioners was gathered.

             On February 20, 1990, Grand Master Juan C. Nabong, Jr. issued a dispensation for the formation of the lodge and on April 7, 1990 he instituted it and installed its Dispensation Officers. At the annual communication of the Grand Lodge held in April 1990, the Committee on Charters reported that the lodge had eleven petitioners awaiting to be balloted upon and it owned a 600 sq. m. lot donated by Rufino Roque Jr. Upon the Committee's recommendation, the lodge was granted a charter and assigned number 289. On January 19, 1991, the lodge was constituted in Cordon, Isabela and the following officers were duly installed into office: VW Geminiano Alvarado, Worshipful Master; Bros. Romualdo Villaflor and George Fererizo as Senior and Junior Wardens, respectively.

            Location: Cordon, Isabela