CAGAYAN DE ORO LODGE NO. 298 LODGE HISTORY
HISTORY OF CAGAYAN DE ORO LODGE NO. 298, F. & A.M.
On June 1, 1991 seven (7) brethren from Masonic District No. 17, namely:
1. WB Ildefonso G. Agbuya – Macajalar Lodge No. 184
2. WB Stephen Lim, PM – Carmen Valley Lodge No. 250
3. VW Francisco Lim, PDGL – Carmen Valley Lodge No. 250
4. VW Gregorio Malicay, DGL – Macajalar Lodge No. 184
5. WM Ceres Chua – Carmen Valley Lodge No. 250
6. Bro. Kian Kok Chan – Carmen Valley Lodge No. 250
7. Bro. Ernest Bernaldez – Carmen Valley Lodge No. 250
The said brethren went to Surigao City to have an interaction with Mt. Diwata Lodge No. 236 F.& A.M. and to participate in the conferral of the Third Degree on Bro. Arturo Ocampo.
While in Surigao City, during refreshment these seven brethren discussed the growth of Freemasonry in Masonic District No. 17 particularly in the four lodges in the City of Cagayan de Oro. They noted that membership growth in Freemasonry is very, very, slow, to a point that Lodges in Cagayan de Oro City have not prepared to replenish the brethren who have transferred to other places; brethren who have become inactive due to old age or have lost interest for one reason or another and brethren who have forever dropped their working tools,
They have noted that Lodges in Masonic District No. 17 have not been accepting or electing new petitioners to Freemasonry for reason only known to the Brethren of District No. 17. Yet they know that there are many who are prepared, well qualified and interested to join the Fraternity. Based on these observations, the seven Brethren who went to Surigao City decided to form a new Lodge one that will consider basically and principally men of good character, morally upright, successful in their own fields of endeavor and assets to our fraternity insofar as spreading the principal tenets of Freemasonry that is – Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth. The seven brethren vowed that the new Lodge will be faithful to the Fraternity, while strictly observing the Constitution of the Grand Lodge and will adhere to the Ancient landmarks.
On June 8, 1991, Stated Meeting of Carmen Valley Lodge No. 250, presided by its Worshipful Master Ceres C. Chua, passed a unanimous resolution endorsing/sponsoring the formation of a new Lodge. With the resolution it should be made of record that Carmen Valley Lodge No. 250 is the sponsoring Lodge of Cagayan de Oro Lodge.
On June 20, 1992 the formal organizational meeting of Cagayan de Oro Lodge was held at High-12 Restaurant with Twenty-three (23) brethren in attendance. On July 12, 1991 Cagayan de Oro Lodge, UD was instituted by Grand Master Jose R. Guerrero assisted by VW Manuel R. Samson, DDGM and VW Gregorio Malicay, DGL both of Masonic District No. 17. The following were installed:
1. WM Ildefonso G. Agbuya, PM – Worshipful Master
2. SW Taurino Ong – Senior Warden
3. JW Danny C. Ramos – Junior Warden
4. WB Stephen Lim, PM – Treasurer
5. VW Francisco T. Lim, PM – Secretary
6. Bro. Prudencio T. Plaza, Jr. – Chaplain
7. WB Amante E. Siapno, PM – Marshal
8. WB Manuel C. Ngo, PM – Senior Deacon
9. WB Leo D. Mira, PM – Junior Deacon
10. Bro. Antonio S. Soriano – Orator
11. WB Francisco T. Tan, PM – Auditor
12. Bro. Henry James A. Go – Almoner
13. VW Manuel R. Samson, PM, DDGM – Lecturers
14. VW Gregorio B. Malicay, PM, DGL
15. VW Henry J. Tan, PM, PDGL
16. Bro. Mario A. Go – Senior Steward
17. Bro. George G. Lim – Junior Steward
18. Bro. Michael U. Lu – Organist
19. WM Ceres C. Chua – Tyler
On August 29, 1991 Cagayan de Oro Lodge had its first initiation and the first to be initiated was Florido J. Akut, who was also the first to be raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason on November 1991. The Lodge was able to raise to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason a total of fifteen (15) Master Masons, namely:
1. Florido J. Akut
2. Gilberto Jose Roa
3. Leon Gonzaga, Jr.
4. Perfecto Quijano, Jr.
5. Basilio Heria
6. Ignacio B. Moreno
7. Eduardo Feliciano
8. Felix Ansaldo
9. Noel Vedad
10. Mario Juni
11. Emmanuel Kwong
12. Oscar Abella
13. Aurelio Trampe, Jr.
14. Leo Roberto Leonardo
15. Amanoding Esmail