Volume 92, Issue 2 (2015)

IN THIS ISSUE.. I. From The Grand East Manifesto Let us Hasten Our Pace By La Solidaridad II By MW Tomas G. Rentoy III VII. Feature Articles II. Grand Historian’s Report Mindanao Grand Caravan The First 100 Days of the By VW Hector A. Emberga, SGD Term of MW Tomas G. Rentoy III By VW Caesar M. Ortega,GH Pilar Assembly No. 1 VW Guillermo B. Lazaro By Karol Joseffe Borja III. Masonic Education Two Speeches of MW Rentoy Edict 279 – The Masonic Internal Affairs Office (MIAO) VIII. Recent Events Edict 280 – Masonic Tribunals By VW Caesar M. Ortega Primer on Edicts 275, 276 & 277 By VW J. Ernest Ermin Louie R. Miguel, SGL THE CABLETOW Circular 21 EDITORIAL BOARD MW Reynato S. Puno, PGM, GMH MW Rudyardo V. Bunda, PGM, GMH IV. Special Feature MW Danilo D. Angeles, PGM Let’s Meet the Grand Lodge Officers MW Santiago T. Gabionza, Jr., PGM By VW Jose Avelino I. Magbanua VW Samuel P. Fernandez, PGC VW J. Ermin Ernest Louie R. Miguel, SGL Know Your Grand Lodge Staff VW Caesar M. Ortega, GH Bro. Florante P Leaňo V. Homage to Masonic Heroes EDITORIAL STAFF Salute to our Freemason Brothers, VW J. Flor R. Nicolas, Editor-in-Chief National Heroes All! WB Edmund U. Coronel, Asst. Editor-in-Chief VW Emmanuel J. Diesta, Circulation Manager By VW Flor R. Nicolas, PSGL WB Jose Eugenio B. Illenberger, Layout Artist Bro. Edwin P. Calayag, Photographer Brother Apolinario “Katabay” Mabini Ms. Jennifer C. Magallanes, Secretary The Cabletow, the official organ of the M.W. Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Philippines, is By VW Flor R. Nicolas, PSGL published bimonthly for and in the interest of the members of the subordinate Lodges of this jurisdiction, who are regular subscribers thereto. A member of the Craft belonging to another jurisdiction who wants to subscribe to The Cabletow should pay an annual fee of US $40; he should send the corresponding check to: The Cabletow, Grand Lodge of F.&A.M. of the Philippines, Plaridel Masonic Temple,1440 San Marcelino St., Ermita, Manila, D 2801, Philippines. Readers should send all correspondences to the Cabletow Office at the address given above. To help VI. Open Lodge the editorial staff promptly deliver to them their own copies of Cabletow issues, subscribers are advised to inform the Cabletow Office of any changes and corrections in their respective addresses. Original articles are subjected to Why Change the Constitution editing and, when published, become the property of The Cabletow. Any article published in The Cabletow may be reprinted in full, or excerpts thereof reproduced, provided proper attribution to the author is made, the source is By MW Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno (ret.), PGM given due credit, and the Cabletow Office is furnished with a courtesy copy of the reprinted material. Paid advertisements are accepted for printing in The Cabletow. The Cabletow | Vol. 92, No. 2, July-August 2015 1 FROM THE GRAND EAST LET US HASTEN OUR PACE One hundred days and counting. Our Grand Historian, the VW Caesar M. Ortega, confidently states in his account (featured in this issue) that we are ahead of schedule in the implementation of our reform program. Many of the brethren I meet in my visits to the blue lodges concur with this rather rosy assessment. Even our building My beloved brethren, we cannot rest now lest administrator, history overtake us. A hundred days of reform cannot the VW cure decades-old maladies afflicting our Craft. That Guillermo B. we may be ahead of schedule in carrying out the Lazaro, assures reforms we seek to institute does not guarantee that The root of a Balete tree somehow wormed its us that the tree way into the main water pipe blocking the flow of these reforms have taken root. water into the Grand Lodge premises. of neglect that has taken root The west gate is not yet fully secure from in the water system of our grand lodge building recalcitrant within our ranks and the unworthy still has been yanked out and clean water (reflective of trying to worm their way in. One of the most painful effective and efficient building administration) is acts a Grand Master is compelled to perform is that smoothly flowing again within the premises. of casting a brother out of his lodge. Ordering the suspension of another is not less painful either. Our Office Manager, the VW Jose Avelino But the Craft cannot afford masons who work I. Magbanua, is equally confident that the much with crooked tools. And so, on few occasions, the sought-after ISO accreditation will be awarded to Grand Oriental Chair had to swing down the gavel the Grand Lodge within this masonic year. resolutely. Yet as hard as the gavel falls, so are our arms spread as wide in welcoming back lost brethren who have repentantly pleaded to return. The MIAO, it being an untested innovation, appears to be gingerly feeling its way like a toddler. Indeed, it is most challenging to play the role of policeman and prosecutor at the same time. I should know. But with our cooperation, understanding It is so tempting to stop, step and encouragement, the brethren appointed to the aside, sit back and relax – to relish the sweet taste of MIAO will be reminded that our reform program success like the proverbial rabbit racing against the hinges on them. turtle. GLP staff sorting out the mountain of documents that had The lamps in our lodges shine brighter now. accumulated over the years in a bid to obtain ISO certification. The mandatory seminar workshops on the reform- relevant edicts and circulars ensured that all the The Cabletow | Vol. 92, No. 2, July-August 2015 2 Brightening up the Lamp. The SGL acknowledging a question from the floor during one of the seminar-workshops on the Three Guards to Reform. brethren journey on with clear and firm steps. With The selection process for the next Junior this in mind, our Senior Grand Lecturer, the VW Grand Warden is well underway. We have taken J Ermin Ernest Louie R. Miguel has come up with great pains to preempt electioneering and other a comprehensive Primer in question and answer shenanigans endemic in past elections. Let us stay format to make easy reading for the brethren all the vigilant until the last ballot is counted. edicts and issuances relevant to our reform program. But we have yet to fine-tune the IT aspect of our My beloved brethren, in the past three years IMES, Cabletow and related masonic education leading up to my assumption to the Grand Oriental activities. Chair, you pleaded in so many words and ways for these reforms to be carried out. Your orders are being In some forlorn villages in our archipelago, complied with. Our reforms are well underway. Let our masonic lamp shines with hope for indigent us hasten our pace. children reading and learning in the few libraries our brethren built. A minute drop in an ocean of need besetting our public education system, these “libraries in a box” are a generous gesture those children will remember all their lives. Their grateful Fraternally yours, smiles are priceless. Closer to home, I noted with much admiration some publications of the lodges, districts and multi- districts. The erudition and journalistic talents of TOMAS G.RENTOY, III the brethren are evident in these publications. So, Grand Master, 2015-2016 to encourage our journalist brothers, we are asking the editors-in-chief of these publications to provide soft and hard copies of each issue they print so that exemplary articles therein may be reprinted in the Cabletow. PGM Pacifico Aniag stresses a point on this year’s program of reforms during seminar-workshop held at the Wesleyan University. The Cabletow | Vol. 92, No. 2, July-August 2015 3 GRAND HISTORIAN’S REPORT The First100 days of the Term of MW Tomas G. Rentoy III (25 April - 03 August 2015) By VW Caesar M. Ortega The Reform Agenda “A Revitalized, Relevant, and Revered Philippine During the Grand Installation Ceremonies last 25 Freemasonry: Our Commitment, Our Covenant.” April 2015 in Legazpi City, MW Tomas G. Rentoy III laid It was made clear that the reforms he had in mind down, in no uncertain terms, the following reform agenda were all geared towards the attainment of the vision he crafted in response to the clamor of the brethren: shared with the brethren for Philippine Freemasonry, which was concisely and accurately encapsulated in his (1) Guard the West Gate (both from without chosen theme. and from within) – by preserving and maintaining the quality of petitioners and candidates, and by weeding-out unworthy members of the Craft; Edicts and Circulars (2) Guard the Lamp - by upgrading the The implementation of our reform agenda started Continuing Masonic Education; and on Day 1 of MW Rentoy’s term. At the time of the Grand Installation, no less than ten (10) edicts and two (2) (3) Guard the Ballot – by instituting and circulars were signed. Shortly thereafter, other edicts and institutionalizing Genuine Electoral Reforms circulars were issued to supplement and complement the earlier issuances. To date, the following have been issued He then announced the central theme of his term, and read in open lodge: to wit: The Cabletow | Vol. 92, No. 2, July-August 2015 4 (1) Edict No. 175-C: Appointment of the Grand Master’s duly authorized representative or a Grand Master’s Deputy. This aims to avoid the absurd and embarrassing situation wherein an elected officer of the Grand Lodge is “outranked” by a Past Master, Incumbent Master or Warden of a Subordinate Lodge.

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