Western Luzon Bodies: A Short History Till 1966

"Every degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite from the Fourth through the Thirty Second, teaches by its ceremonials as well as by its instruction that the noblest purpose of life and the highest duty of man is to strive incessantly and vigorously to win the mastery of everything of that which in him is spiritual and divine over that which is material and sensual: so that in him also, as in the universe which God governs, harmony and beauty may be the result of just equilibrium."      Albert Pike

A Brief History of the Western Luzon Bodies, A & A S R, Valley of  Bataan & Zambales, Orient of the Philippines

[from the personal files of Ill Bro Eduardo Ledina Elgincolin, as supplied by his son, Bro Edwin E. Elgincolin]

"Imbued with a desire to broaden Masonic education among the brethren, a group of Scottish Rite brethren belonging to different Scottish Bodies in Manila; and who are permanently residing in Subic Bay and Olongapo got together and decided to request the [Philippine] Supreme Council an authority to organize Scottish Rite Bodies in this area.


Pursuant to this decision, a petition for Letters Temporary for the Zambales Lodge of Perfection was sent to the Supreme Council on July 25, 1954 and the same were issued by the Supreme Council three days later on July 28, 1954.

Six months later, on November 24, 1954, the petition for the issuance of the permanent charter was filed and such permanent charter was finally issued by the Supreme Council to the Zambales Lodge of Perfection on February 10, 1956.

Encouraged by the success attained in the organization of the Zambales Lodge of Perfection, the organizing brethren again decided to petition the Supreme Council for issuance of Letters Temporary in favor of the three bodies, namely; The Teodoro R. Yanco Chapter of Rose Croix, The Mount Pinatubo Council of Kadosh and the Subic Bay Consistory, which they did on May 25, 1956.

The Letters Temporary in favor of these bodies was issued by the Supreme Council on June 20, 1956. After  less than seven months of probational existence, these three bodies again petitioned the Supreme Council for the issuance of their permanent charter on January 15, 1957, which was issued exactly a month later on February 15th.

The following brethren are the charter members of the Western Luzon Bodies:

1. Purisimo Ramos 32* Philippine Bodies

2. Domingo Pena Santiago 32* Philippine Bodies

3. Desiderio Hebron 32* Philippine Bodies

4. Silvestre Fontiles 32* Philippine Bodies

5. Ernesto A. Gregorio 32* Philippine Bodies

6. Pedro Santos Joaquin 32* Philippine Bodies

7. Frisco Fong 32* Philippine Bodies

8. Lao Ho 32 * Philippine Bodies

9. Segundo Domingo 32* Philippine Bodies

10. Contrado Tiburcio 32* Philippine Bodies

11. Gregorio Tiburcio 32* Manila Bodies

12. Clayton James Steenson 32* Manila Bodies

13. Harry Evangelos Pappas 32* Manila Bodies

14. Procopio Abad Ledina 32* Manila Bodies

15. Foo Ying 32* Manila Bodies

16. Ong Hap 32* Manila Bodies

17. Leonardo Del Rosario 32* Manila Bodies

18. Lee Bee 32* Manila Bodies

19. Philip Leung 32* Manila Bodies

20. Chua Guan 32* Manila Bodies

21. John Joseph McFarland 32* Luzon Bodies

22. Luis Pecorino 32* Luzon Bodies

The first set of officers of the Zambales Lodge of Perfection were elected on February 25, 1956 and installed on April 28th of the same year, with the Sovereign Grand Commander, III. Bro Frederick H. Stevens, 33*, as installing Officer and the Grand Secretary, III. Bro. Jose C. Velo, 33* as Master of Ceremonies.

The draft of the General Regulation and By-Laws of the Zambales Lodge of Perfection was submitted to the Supreme Council on November 28, 1954 and the same was approved on December 18th of same year.

The Western Luzon Bodies have their offices at the Lincoln Masonic Temple, 2429 Rizal Avenue, West Bajac Bajac, City of Olongapo.. All meetings, conferrals and administrative office work are held there.

The members of the Bodies increases every year. The community of Olongapo and the adjacent U.S. Naval Base, Subic Bay provide a continuous and rich source of membership for the bodies. At the end of 1966, the total membership in the four Bodies are as follows:

Zambales Lodge of Perfection - 422

Teodoro R. Yanco Chapter of Rose Croix - 420

Mt. Pinatubo Council of Kadosh - 420

Subic Bay Consistory - 420

In order to effectively implement the program of the Western Luzon Bodies, as well as those emanating from the Supreme Council, the following standing committees have been organized: Finance Committee, Fellowship Committee, Instruction Committee, Education and Community Service, Honors and Award Committee and Sunshine Committee.

The finances of the four bodies are reassuringly sound. The equipment and paraphernalia of the Bodies were gradually acquired and are presently adequate to suit the performance of full form degree conferrals.

Activities and Accomplishments - Since their organization, The Western Luzon Bodies have been conferring degrees regularly twice each year in the months of May and October, respectively designated as the Mid-Year and Year-End Conferrals.

Candidates for the various degrees come from the ranks of the Filipino, American, and Chinese brethren residing at Olongapo or temporary assigned for duty at the adjacent U.S. Naval Base, Subic Bay or aboard ship in the port.

After being organized, each class invariably makes some token donation to the Western Luzon Bodies as a gesture of gratitude and appreciation for the degrees conferred.

Through the untiring efforts of our then S.D.I.G. Ill Bro. Purisimo Ramos, Supervisor Ill Bro. Desiderio Hebron, Ill. Bro. Clayton J. Steenson, Ill. Bro. Secertary Nestor N. Niguidula and other officers, The Western Luzon Bodies have produced conferral teams so proficient in the rituals of the various degrees that they were invited on several occasions by the Baguio Bodies to confer the degrees thereat up to the 32nd degree.

To promote better fellowship among the brethren and their families, as well as to afford them an opportunity of keeping abreast with the development on vital issues and subject affecting the country, dinner meetings, at which knowledgeable out-of-town guest speakers are invited, are held regularly each month.

Among the more outstanding accomplishment of the Western Luzon Bodies during the relatively brief period of their existence, the following may be mentioned: construction of concrete waiting shed in front of the City hall of Olongapo, construction of concrete basketball court and donation of playground equipment to Barrio Mabayuhan in Olongapo.

Furthermore, for the best achievement in the field of community improvement, The Supreme Council [recently] awarded to the Western Luzon Bodies the " Frederick H. Stevens Diploma" with the Grand Commander's cash award of Php. 300.00......"

Links:

The Supreme Council, A & A S R, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A.

The Supreme Council, A & A S R, Northern Jurisdiction, U.S.A.