Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Malolos Lodge No 46 90th Public Installation - 14 Feb

Malolos Lodge holds 90th public installation today

MALOLOS, Bulacan— The Malolos Lodge No. 46 will hold today its 90th public installation with Defense Undersecretary Antonio C. Santos Jr. as guest of honor and speaker.

The lodge, which is one of the oldest lodges in the country under the jurisdiction of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of the Philippines, is celebrating its 90th year.

The elected and appointed officers to be installed in the lodge include Reynaldo C. Cabauatan Sr., Worshipful Master; Emmanuel H. Mateo, Senior Warden; Eufracio S. Arellano Jr., Junior Warden; Ricardo B. Jimenez, Treasurer; Raymund Gerard V. Flor Cruz, Secretary; and Luisito A. Andres, Auditor.

The appointed officers who will also be installed are Julius Ceasar P. Villarama, Nolito A. L. Madlangbayan, Joselito C. Manuel, Melencio A. Crisostomo, Reynaldo M. Cabauatan Jr., Antonio G. Aniag Jr., Glennis T. Mendiola, Eddie D. Miranda, Luis G. Pineda Jr., Norberto S. Ramos Jr., and Felix C. Flor Cruz. [Article by Fred Roxas, as published in The Manila Bulletin online.]

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Speech delivered by incoming WBro Reynaldo C Cabauatan Sr last 14 February, during the 90th Public Installation of Officers of Malolos Lodge No 46:

"Isang maalab at mabunying pagbati sa ating mabunying panauhing pandangal, mga pinagpipitagang Mararangal na Guro, mga Kapatid at mga kaibigan ng Malolos Lodge No 46.

Ako ay taos pusong nagpapasalamat sa ipinagkaloob ninyong pagtitiwala na ako ay maluklok na Marangal na Guro ng Lohiya Bilang 46 para sa taong 2009. Ito ay napakalaking karangalan para sa akin.

Matagal kong inasam ang pagkakataong ito sa paniniwalang ang tungkuling ito ang magsisilbing pandayan ng aking pagkaMason. Mahaba at masalimuot ang aking pinagdaanan, at lubos akong nananalig na ang lahat ng naging bahagi ng aking buhay ay isang tunay na paghahanda para sa gabing ito. Ito ay isang katibayan na ang bawat tao ay may takdang panahon, at ang bawat panahaon ay may natatakdang tao. Ito ang aking sandali.

Ngunit, tulad ng alinmang idelohiya, ang buhay-Mason ay nagkakaroon lamang ng katuturan at kahalagahan kung ang bawat isang Mason ay lubos ang kamalayan sa mga prinsipyo ng Masonerya. Ang pagiging Mason ay isang karangalan sa kanyang tunay na kahulugan. Hindi lamang sapagkat tayo ay dumaraan sa isang masusi at mapanghamong pagsubok, kundi tayo ay namumulat sa gawaing ikabubuti ng sambayanan.

Ang Kapatirang Freemasons of the Philippines ay nag-ugat at sumibol sa isip at puso ng mga dakilang Pilipino, ng ating mga bayaning ninuno na siyang naghasik; hindi lamang kalayaan ng ating bansa kundi pati ang dangal ng ating pagkatao. Ang kasaysayan ng ating bansa ay kasaysayan ng mga dakilang Mason. Ang ating mga tinatamasang pribiliheyong matatawag bilang Mason ay ating minana upang payabungin at hindi kailan man sayangin. Mararapat lamang kung gayon na kapag may panawagan ukol sa pagbabago at reporma, ito ay nararapat na ibatay sa mayaman at makabuluhang tradisyon ng Masonerya.

Masonry must have a bearing upon the matter at hand. What is the matter at hand? The crisis ofg Philippine society - Grandes Malos, Grandes Remedios. Whenever a society is faced with great problems that call for grand remedies, Masons in history have not only responded and manifested their relevance but also acted with heroism and greatness.

The role that Masonry and Masons played in the Philippine Revolution of 1898 and even in guiding the newly born nation-state; has been emblazoned in the pages of our history for all the world to see; even as other Masons in other times and places had been busy undertaking their own revolutions.

Masonry must have pertinence and persistence in our lives. Napakaimpertinente ng mga Mason. They are involved in issues in various places where their presence seems unwanted. They want to change the status quo whereever they find themselves. Masons have a way of insinuating themselves.

In short, we have a proud and great tradition of Masonry for the past 100 years of our existence. Masons have proven themselves to be relevant to their society when it was imperative to act. That is the greatest reason why I value Freemasonsry. That is the reason why being a Master of a Lodge is already a great achievement for me.

Ano ang kahulugan ng Masonerya sa ating buhay? What is the meaning of Masonry in our lives? Masonry must have a meaning not only to our individual lives but the society and the nation.

First and foremost, Masonry inculcates inus moral values that shape our moral institutions. Here lies the distinctive and distinguishing mark of true Masons and Masonry. Other organizations do not graduate from mere social clubs because they do not have the very deep philisophical and ideological foundation of Freemanson. The value of Masonry to us all shall be decided by how we view its relevance to our individual and collective lives, to our sense of nationhood and [a]national community.

The continuing education provided by masonry to its members is responsible for maintaining moral integrity and to eventually answer the call of great brethren for building up a moral force in our society. It must liberate [us] from the moral decadence and deprativity to which this country has sunk. Malolos Lodge 46 is a signpost to history.

I take great pride in being installed today as the Master of [the] Malolos Lodge, a name replete with historical significance. It calls to mind the Malolos Constitution, teh Malolos Congress and the Malolos Republic, whose formation and success were handiwork of Masons and Masonry. The ultimate relevance of true Masonry to the emergence of a Filipino national ideology; that launched a national revolution and gave birth to the first Filipino nation and the first Filipino state can not be overemphasized. The most serious problem facing present day Masonry is how to be consistent and equal to the past Masonic glory and achievements.

Masons and Masonry have relevance to all these historical phenomena. Masons had a lot to do with the formation of these, from ideology to revolution and to the nation-state. Masons are aware, concious and concerned and then being involved and committed to the matter at hand. It was so when the crisis of Philippine society preceded the Revolution of 1898, they helped correct the wrongs and resolve [and] to liberate the Filipino people from bondage.

Fortunately for all of us, under the present trying times, Masons; in their individual capacities are again leading the crusade to regain and restore the moral integrity of our society. The influx of members of the Filipino warrior class into the folds of Freemasonry is indeed a welcome sign. Being the repositories of Masonic values, they shall eventually make themselves the instruments for the transformation of Philippine society.

Sa gabing ito, inaanyayahan ko kayong lahat na maging bahagi ng isang pakikibaka upang ang ating pagkaMason ay magkaroon ng kabuluhan para sa bansa at para sa ating mga mamamayan. Bigyan natin ng kabuluhan at kahulugan ang kagitingan ng ating pagkaMason.

Mabuhay ang Masonerya!!

Maraming salamat at magandang gabi sa inyong lahat."

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YouTube links:

http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=nk3KkbSYegI

http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=PiY8HFdB43U& feature=channel

1 comment:

Elizabeth Altamira said...

"they shall eventually make themselves the instruments for the transformation of Philippine society."

I will be praying for you Rey. May the Holy Spirit empower and sustain you with strenght, courage, a burning passion for mercy, justice, and a will to please God and not any men. Thank you for accepting God's call in your life to be one of His instruments for the moral transformation of the Phillipine society.

Beth