Sibuguey Valley Lodge No. 246
The Name
Sibuguey Valley is a lodge tract of level land Zamboanga del Sur irrigated by the Sibuguey River. It covers some 13 towns , including the town of Buug. The word “Sibuguey” was derived from the Tausug words “ sibug,” “mari,” and “bugay,” meaning “come closer , my friend.”
The Lodge
Historical accounts reveal that Dr. Rosendo C. Redoble and Trifon P. Sajulga, two neighbors and both residents of Buug and without each other knowing it, petitioned and received the degrees of Masonry at Pagadian City Lodge No.177 sometime in 1977 and were subsequently raised as Master Masons in 1978. These events brought together all the Masons working in the vicinity, including those who were frequently traveling to the town. Eventually the entry of the two into Masonry gave birth to a move to form a new lodge at the town of Buug.
With the endorsement of the brethren of Pagadian City Lodge No. 177, thirty-one brethren petitioned the Grand Master for a dispensation to organize a lodge in Buug to be named Sibuguey Lodge. Grand Master Jolly R. Bugarin issued a dispensation on June 28, 1979 and appointed WB Maximino I Tumalas Sr. as Worshipful Master, and WB Alejandro E. Cajoy and WB Jose Maravilla as Senior and Junior Wardens, respectively, of the new lodge.
At the annual communication of the Grand Lodge in April 1980, the Committee on Charters noted that the lodge was not yet prepared to undertake the labors of a regular lodge. It recommended that, in lieu of a charter, the dispensation of the lodge be extended another year, "unless added reports are
received." Fortunately, before the annual communication ended, favorable reports trickled in and the lodge was mercifully granted a charter.
On December 13, 1980, Grand Master Manuel D. Mandac, with the assistance of Grand Lodge officers, constituted the lodge and installed its first set of charter officers, to wit: WB Floresto E. Florendo as Worshipful Master, and Bros. Benecio S. Barcelona and Bro. Rosendo C. Redoble, as Senior and
Junior Wardens respectively.
Initially, the lodge held its stated meetings at the residence of Dr. Rosendo Redoble. Thereafter it transferred to a rented hall at the Luna Building. It later moved to the library of Buug High School and then to the Western Mindanao Institute. Still later, it again transferred to the Buug Pilot Elementary School, then to the Association of Barangay Councils Hall. It went back to the Buug Pilot Elementary School when the ABC Hall was razed by fire only to bounce back like a pingpong ball when the ABC Hall was rebuilt later.
A major project of the lodge is the construction of its own permanent temple on the lot donated by WB Jose G. Ty and for the last five years has been raising funds for its construction. Verily, the brethren of this lodge hope that it can later transfer to the lodge it can call its own.
Location: Buug, Zamboanga del Sur