06/09/2024
LEGITIMATE MASONRY IN THE PHILIPPINES
Regular and recognized Craft Masonry in the Philippines, they say, is governed solely and exclusively by the Grand Lodge of the Philippines (GLP). Such exclusive territorial authority is a characteristic inherited from the North American style of Masonry practiced by the said Grand Lodge – it being spawned by the Grand Lodge of California, USA. In other countries, mostly Europe, such exclusive territorial claim does not apply. France, for instance, has many Grand Lodges operating and occupying a common territory. Singapore, also, has lodges of English, Scottish, and Irish Constitutions co-existing in fraternal harmony.
In the Philippines, though there are indeed other forms of Masonry that exist – they are nonetheless considered irregular and are therefore not recognized by the GLP or by the other regular Grand Lodges around the world.
There are, however, two notable exceptions to the GLP’s exclusive Masonic authority in the Philippines – those of Lodge Perla Del Oriente (LPDO) No. 1034 S.C. of the Grand Lodge of Antient Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland (GLoS); and Mabuhay Lodge No. 59 of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Washington (MWPHGLWA). Both of their respective histories merit mutual recognition and local existence in the country despite the territorial claim of the GLP, to which both lodges maintain friendly relations to this day, including inter-visitation rights.
THE LOCAL MASONIC ECOSYSTEM
Before the formation of the GLP, then called the Grand Lodge of the Philippine Islands (GLPI) in 1912, there were already previously-established Masonic lodges of different obedience and jurisdictions, operating within the still-developing nation of the Philippines. Back then, the Philippine Islands was still considered “open territory” for foreign Grand Lodges. It was not until 1917 when the young GLPI, 5 years after its formation, started absorbing many of the other local lodges under its authority. Some Masonic historians have called this absorption a “union” or “fusion,” but it was technically more of a transfer of Masonic allegiance of these other lodges from their mother Grand Lodge to the GLPI.
Prior to this so-called “fusion,” there were about 29 lodges under the Gran (or Grande) Oriente Español thru its Provincial Grand Lodge, 2 lodges under the GLoS, 2 lodges under the Gran (or Grande) Oriente de España, 1 lodge under the Gran Oriente Lusitano Unido, 3 allegedly from the Grand Orient of France, and 11 lodges under the GLPI. Some of these lodges collectively gave up their charters and secured new ones from the GLPI. Others simply vanished. For a short time thereafter, the GLPI became the sole Masonic jurisdiction in the Philippines, as there were no more Spanish, or any other lodge of another obedience, that locally existed, except for LPDO which remained remarkably under the GLoS.
LPDO was founded in 1907, prior to the formation of the GLPI. After the GLPI was formed, its recognition by GLoS was conditional on LPDO and its then sister Lodge Cebu No. 1106 being allowed to retain their allegiance to GLoS until such time as they voluntarily chose to relinquish it in order to join the GLPI. Members of Lodge Cebu eventually did but LPDO chose to remain part of GLoS to this day. It still, however, maintained mutual and friendly relations with the GLP, with some of its members also becoming members of GLP lodges and vice-versa. The GLoS, in turn, as part of their treaty, agreed that it would no longer add or organize another such lodge in the Philippines.
Meanwhile, Mabuhay Military Lodge F&AM was founded on the US Military Base in Clark Field, Angeles City, Pampanga in 1971, during the time of the Vietnam War. After the eruption of nearby Mt. Pinatubo and the withdrawal of the US Base from the Philippines, the lodge temporarily ceased operating. In 1995, it was reopened and reconstituted as Mabuhay Lodge No. 59 of MWPHGLWA. For a time, it existed locally without any fraternal relations with or recognition from the GLP, until September 1997, when the then Grand Master of the GLP granted fraternal recognition to MWPHGLWA, effectively giving permission for Mabuhay Lodge to remain in operation in the country under the provision that no other such lodge may be added or organized. During the Annual Communication of 1998, a Circular was issued, announcing the recognition of MWPHGLWA. It was generally understood that Mabuhay Lodge was meant for retired American residents of the Philippines and other Filipino-Americans, hence posed no conflict with the GLP’s jurisdiction.
The GLP, the GLoS, and MWPHGLWA are part of a large community of sovereign Masonic jurisdictions in the world that regard each other to be regular and have therefore granted each other amity and mutual recognition. This means that Masons of lodges belonging to different Grand Lodges that have existing fraternal relations can communicate masonically and visit each other’s lodge meetings, subject, of course, to the usual protocols of vouching and examination. These Grand jurisdictions are considered the largest Masonic community in the world, sometimes referred to as mainstream Masonry. They are distinguished by their common amity with either the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) – the premier Grand Lodge of the world, the Grand Lodge of Scotland, and the Grand Lodge of Ireland.
UNRECOGNIZED MASONRY IN THE PHILIPPINES
There are other Masonic presences in the Philippines that are considered irregular and therefore unrecognized by mainstream Masonry. These primarily include those schismatic groups that have severed their ties with the GLPI, or have been formed without lineage from the same, or have been claiming descent from a Masonic obedience incompatible with mainstream Masonry. Some of these irregular lodges are called red lodges (not to be confused with the term ”red lodge” that North American style Masons use to colloquially refer to their chapter or Royal Arch Masons) instead of blue lodges, indicative of the color of the aprons used in their Craft degrees. But where do these lodges come from?
In 1920, a few GLPI Masons formerly under the Spanish jurisdiction broke away from the GLPI to form their own unauthorized Grand Lodge. Schismatic organizations were eventually established, consisting mainly of GLPI deserters. They included the Grand Logia (Soberana in 1925/1926) del Archipelago Filipino, formed sometime in 1922 by the new leadership of the Gran Oriente Español through a Gran Logia Regional del Archipelago Filipino; and the Gran Logia Nacional de Filipinas (GLNF), formed in 1924 and later with their own Supremo Consejo del Grado 33 para Filipinas (Rito Escoses). Then there were the Gran Oriente Filipino; the Mártires de Filipinas; and the Gran Luz Masoneria Filipina. In 2006, another group broke away from the GLP, calling itself the Independent Grand Lodge of the Philippine Islands (IGLPI). In many of these cases, they broke away in disrepute and without the consent of their former Grand Lodge.
There are other groups that popped out of nowhere and fancied themselves as Masons, without verifiable lineage whatsoever with regular Masonry, and are therefore considered fake and spurious. These include the so-called Modern Mixed Masons that were formed as an imitation of actual Masonry, illegally using its rites and rituals. Then there are the Chinese Freemasons who do not actually practice any form of Masonry, whether regular or irregular, but existed merely as a social club. There were those that purposely mimicked Masonry, its rituals, and its symbols to purportedly attract membership, but did not claim to be regular Masons. They included the Legionarios del Trabajo and the Caballeros de Dimas-alang.
In all these cases, past GLP leaderships had generally referred to them under one singular term: “clandestine.” Because the word is ambiguous in the context of Masonry, and had, through the years, become a derogatory term both here and abroad, Masons today should be very careful when using it to refer to unrecognized Masons or lodges. It is possible that some unrecognized jurisdictions may be practicing a regular form of Masonry but merely lack official amity, or are pending and awaiting the same. Branding them “clandestine” will potentially hinder the establishment of future fraternal relations with them.
THE ONLY REGULAR LODGES IN THE PHILIPPINES
Regularity of origin and regularity of practice are two important factors in determining whether a lodge or Grand Lodge may be deemed legitimate and authentic. Without regularity, anyone can just simply setup his own quasi-Masonic organization and call himself a Mason. When that happens, what distinguishes real Masonry from a bogus one? That is why regularity is important. One cannot simply discount it under the argument of universal brotherhood, as what many unrecognized lodges do in their defense. That is not how it works. Masons needs a way to distinguish themselves from those simply pretending, in order to assert their legitimacy and protect the integrity of their good name, thus minimizing public confusion on what Masonry is really all about.
Legitimacy can be established when a regular Grand Lodge officially recognizes another as such, and that both maintain friendly relations without encroaching on each other’s established territories, thus further maintaining mutual recognition. Most forms of regular Masonry trace back to a common lineage (regularity of origin) – meaning one Grand Lodge being descended from another, and by means of a charter, warrant, or patent as proof of regularity. They also generally adhere to a common set of ideals, tenets, and principles (regularity of practice), which is actually one of the prerequisites for establishing recognition.
Here in the Philippines, as far as regular Masonic lodges are concerned, the only ones currently recognized as such by the greater community of Masonic jurisdictions worldwide are Lodge Perla Del Oriente (LPDO) No. 1034 S.C. of the Grand Lodge of Antient Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland (GLoS); Mabuhay Lodge No. 59 of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Washington (MWPHGLWA); and, of course, the lodges of the now Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Philippines (GLP). Their Grand Lodges are the only ones who have so far agreed to maintain friendly relations with each other while co-existing in the country. No other regular Grand jurisdiction may infringe upon their shared territory without endangering its own relations with them.
EPILOGUE
As for the other currently existing local jurisdictions that GLP has considered irregular relative to itself – e.g. the Grand Logia Soberana del Archipelago Filipino and the Gran Logia Nacional de Filipinas (GLNF) – there may never be official recognition between them and the GLP, as each of their members have they own respective obligations to follow as Masons. There may never be Masonic communication or inter-visitation between them into each of their respective lodges, but maybe that’s okay, for it doesn’t mean they could not meet outside the lodge as friends. It doesn’t mean there can never be peace and civility among them.
Personally, I am not an advocate of amity and inter-visitation between GLP and the other local unrecognized jurisdictions. It may be that time is not yet ripe or may never be ripe at all. Doing so may pose potential problems with each of the obligations they took, and might possibly even risk each of their respective relations with other foreign jurisdictions they have amity with. I am also not an advocate of their union or fusion to form a single Philippine jurisdiction for they both have their own histories and traditions that would potentially vanish as a result of a merger. It could mean the end of the particular brand of Masonic rite or systems that they held dear all these years. I do, however, believe that perhaps it is time to consider a sort of Treaty of Peace between them – an acknowledgement of each of their existence without the need for official amity. It would solve, for now, many of the disputes that have arisen through the years precisely because of the lack of amity. There would be mutual respect and there would be peace between them. Who knows, perhaps one day they could all even collaborate for the common good and interest of the nation, such as a cooperative charity project for instance? Anything is possible.
Let us, therefore, not fight for the very soul of Philippine Masonry over matters only physical and trivial, and probably even temporary. Let us, each one of us, practice our respective Crafts in our own respective ways – leaving other jurisdictions alone – for the betterment of ourselves and our country. In so doing, we don’t really need amity or official recognition – only friendship and mutual respect.
Author - Kuyang Joey V.
