The Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Philippines is the organizational body that governs

Freemasonry in the Philippines Freemasonry or Masonry refers to a civic movement promoting fraternity and good works. Freemasonry defines itself as “a regular system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols.” In particular masonic meetings are characterize ...

. It currently has its offices at the Plaridel Masonic Temple, a historic building in

Ermita, Manila Ermita is a district in Manila, Philippines. Located at the central part of the city, the district is a significant center of finance, education, culture, and commerce. Ermita serves as the civic center of the city, bearing the seat of city ...

History

In 1912, three American Lodges owing allegiance to the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of California were already established in the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

. Those were Manila Lodge No. 342, Cavite Lodge No. 350 and Corregidor Lodge No. 386. The three lodges held a meeting on November 17, 1912 to fix a date for the First Convention of the delegates selected and to be selected for the purpose of considering the organization of a Grand Lodge. The Grand Lodge was officially formed on December 19, 1912. At first, this Grand Lodge remained a Regional Grand Lodge, convoking its own Grand Assembly in 1915. Throughout 1915 and 1916 it was engaged with correspondence with the Grande Oriente Español in Spain, who also chartered lodges in the Philippines. The long process of establishing the proper agreements finished in February 1917. The American Grand Lodge Constitution was used as a basis, keeping in mind issues such as equality of all races and working languages for ceremonies. In the same month a group of 27 lodges still under the Grande Oriente Español elected to affiliate under the Philippine Grand Lodge and Grand Officers were elected.

Modern era

As of 2017, the Grand Lodge of the Philippines has approximately 19,000 members, spread over 375 lodges.2017 List of Lodges Masonic, Pantagraph Printing, Bloomington Illinois, 2017

Notable members

* Fernando Canlas Nicolas

References

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