Tacloban Lodge No. 221

The Name

          Named after the City of Tacloban, which is also known as the "Queen City of Eastern Visayas." Tacloban comes from the word "taklub" meaning "cover" and alludes to the way natives used to catch fish.
 

The Lodge

            Masonry sometimes works in mysterious ways. In the 1970's, because of a misunderstanding among the members of Makabugwas Lodge No.47, no petitioner was able to hurdle the tyranny of the black cube. Consequently in 1976, concerned elders agreed and decided to form a new lodge if only to start with a clean slate and there propagate the tenets of Masonry free from the prejudices and ill will of some of the members.
            On July 12,1976, twenty-two members of Makabugwas Lodge No. 47, two members of Mt Huraw Lodge No. 98 and one member of Mt. Apo Lodge No. 45 were issued a dispensation by Grand Master Jose L. Araneta to from a lodge in Tacloban City to be named Tacloban Lodge.

            At the annual communication of the Grand Lodge in April 1977, the lodge failed to transmit the necessary papers on time, so it was not granted a charter, however, its dispensation was renewed for another year. The additional one year of work showed fairly reasonable progress in the activities of the lodge hence at the annual communication of the Grand Lodge in April 1978 it granted a charter to Tacloban Lodge and assigned to it number 221.
           

            On July 22, 1978, Grand Master Desiderio Dalisay, Sr., convened a Special Communication of the Grand Lodge in Tacloban City and, with the assistance of VW Santiago Chua, WB Fidel Fernandez, WB Arcadio Ortiz, WB Francisco Tantuico, WB Lorenzo LaoHoo, WB Bernardino Romero and other Masonic dignitaries, constituted the new lodge. After the constitution ceremonies the installation of the officers followed. Installed were: Bro. Santiago L. Chua as Worshipful Master, Bro. Salvador Santiago as Senior Warden, and VW Hermogenes Mendoza as Junior Warden.
           

            The creation of another lodge has worked wonders for the brethren of the place. Tacloban Lodge worked closely and harmoniusly with Makabugwas Lodge No. 47 and has successfully initiated the creation of a chapter of the Order of DeMolay and the other sister organizations of this august fraternity.
 

            Location: Tacloban City