HERITAGE

     In the early part of year 2004, it was the desire of some brethren residing and working in the City of TARLAC, Philippines to establish a new Lodge. At that time, there were already seven (7) Lodges in the Province of TARLAC, namely: ISAGANI Lodge No. 96 and Cosmo P. Antonio Memorial Lodge No. 339, both of TARLAC City; Victory Lodge No. 116, of CAMILING, TARLAC; Anchor Lodge No. 159, of PANIQUI, TARLAC; ARCADIO R. Memorial Lodge No. 254, of ANAO, TARLAC; PURA Lodge No. 312, of PURA, TARLAC; APOLINARIO V. Yap Memorial Lodge No. 328, of Victoria, TARLAC, Alfonso. The proposed Petition for Dispensation to Form a New Lodge and the By-Laws were presented during the meeting. Immediately after the ANCOM 2005, which was held in TAGAYTAY City, a meeting was again called in the fourth Wednesday, May 25, 2005, and the Petition and By Laws were finalized. VW RODIL L. MILLADO, Brothers Reynaldo D. David and ELISEO L. Martinez were nominated as Worshipful Master, Senior and Junior Wardens, respectively. To fast the creation of the new Lodge, VW RODEL L. MILLADO was assigned to prepare all the required documents, like the Recommendation from the Lodges, among others, and he and Brother Reynaldo D. David both agreed to present the new Lodge before Victory Lodge No. 116 and, on his part, VW CARLITO B. Evangelista volunteered to represent the new Lodge to get favorable recommendation from Anchor Lodge No. 312, PURA Lodge No.312 and APOLINARIO B. Yap Memorial Lodge no. 339 all in the stated meeting of June 2005. During the stated meeting of ARCADIO R. Evangelista Memorial Lodge No. 254, which was held in the first Saturday, June 5, 2005, it granted its Recommendation for the formation of the new Lodge Victory Lodge No. 116, Anchor Lodge No. 159, PURA Lodge No. 312 and APOLINARIO B. Yap Memorial Lodge No. 328 also gave their Recommendation for the formation of the new Lodge.

HERALDRY

       In an informal meeting, which was held sometime in April 2004, when TARLAC City was celebrating its Sixth (6th) Cityhood Anniversary, which was subsequently called “MALATARLAK Festival”, VW RODIL L. MILLADO, Brothers Reynaldo D. David, ELISEO L. Martinez and Marcos D. Alfonso, all of ARCADIO R. Evangelista Memorial Lodge No. 254, jointly proposed that the name of the Lodge instead shall be called “TARLAC KAUNLARAN Lodge” in lieu of the initial proposal to name the Lodge, “KAUNLARAN.” “TARLAC” was proposed to be included because, while masonry existed in the Province of TARLAC even during the Spanish Period and there were already seven (7) regular Lodges in the Province of TARLAC, it was never used in naming a new Lodge but names of municipalities like PURA and CAPAS, both within the Province of TARLAC. Historically, the town was founded in 1788. The town was originally part of Pampanga, which was called San Sebastian de TARLAC. But, became, the capital of the newly, created province in 1873. TARLAC was one of the provinces to join the revolution against the Spaniards in 1896, following the killing of local leaders, like Don Francisco TAÑEDO, a Master Mason himself, by civil guards. The main street of downtown TARLAC is then named in his memory as F. TANEDO Street. Prominent masons are also known in the Province of TARLAC, and one of them is Gen. SERVILLANO Aquino, father of another prominent mason, Brother BENIGNO Aquino, Sr. who was a former Governor of the province. Brother SERVILLANO Aquino was the donor of the lot where we can find ISAGANI Lodge No. 96, and KAMPO HENERAL SERVILLANO Aquino was named in his honor where the Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines is located. The town of TARLAC was the last capital of the short-lived Republic of the Philippines and the site of the Universidad LITERA de Filipinas, the first independent Asian University. TARLAC, which is also known as the “Melting Pot Province” in Central Luzon, lies in the north of Manila which is almost equidistant from Manila to Baguio City. TARLAC derived its name from as AETA word “MALATARLAC”, a known grass noted for its medicinal value. For the sake of simplicity, the word “mala” was discarded retaining the word “TARLAC”. The NEGRITO dialect as the medium of expressions between the early settlers who upon getting numerous, gradually drove back the AETAS or NEGRITOES to the hinterlands leaving their cleared and occupied land through barter or sale at give-away prices. The Municipality of TARLAC was proclaimed a Component City on April 19, 1998 by virtue of Republic Act No. 8593. It was agreed that it is about time that the name of the Province and City be proudly known also as a Lodge, like neighboring provinces in PANGASINAN, Nueva ECIJA, Pampanga and ZAMBALES.