Maynilad Lodge: Strengthening the Masonic Concept of Universal Brotherhood Within Our Jurisdiction

Maynilad Lodge

Strengthening the Masonic Concept of Universal Brotherhood Within Our Jurisdiction

J. Kenneth Gibala, Secretary

Maynilad Lodge, U.D.

It was at a July 2009 special communication that Grand Master Kwame Acquaah met Worshipful Brother and Ambassador Generoso Calonge [Philippine Ambassador] and discussed Freemasonry in the nation’s capital. During the visit Grand Master Acquaah asked how many Filipino Masons might there be in the Washington area. The answer was close to three hundred. With that revelation our Grand Master simply asked if the ambassador thought there might be an interest in developing a Filipino lodge within our jurisdiction amenable to the Filipino culture but in conformity to the rules of our Grand Lodge. That was the seed that grew into Maynilad Lodge. The name is the original name for Manila, the capital city of the Philippines. If the Grand Lodge should answer the prayer of the brethren of Maynilad and vote to grant the lodge a charter, the number chosen for the lodge, 1521, represents the year Magellan first landed or discovered the Philippines. The lodge received its dispensation to begin work in November of 2009. The purpose of the lodge is to provide a home for Philippine Masons living in the mid-Atlantic region, and to be a national center for American Masons of Filipino heritage. The Ambassador was enthusiastic about the prospects for such a lodge, and quickly developed a list of 30 experienced Freemasons who expressed a desire to build a new lodge. Grand Master Acquaah suggested that our Grand Representative of the Philippines near our Grand Lodge, Worshipful Brother Theodore Villapando, might be of assistance. Brother

Teddy, as he is known, met with the Ambassador and a delegation of the interested Masons. After several meetings, Brother Teddy was asked to assume the leadership and prepare the petition for the d i s p e n s a t i o n that would allow the lodge

to form. The dispensation designated Worshipful Brother Theodore V. Villapando of

Washington Daylight Lodge No. 14 as Master; Worshipful Brother Generoso Calonge, also of Washington Daylight as Senior Warden, and Worshipful

Brother Edward Usita of Naomi Lodge

No. 97 of the Grand Lodge of Virginia as Junior Warden.

Of the several prominent Masons who are founders, one is Brother Dominador “Ador” Carreon, who retired from the US Navy in 1997, after attaining the highest enlisted rank of master chief petty officer. While in service he was well-decorated with the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal with Two Gold Stars and a chest full of other medals. After retiring from the Navy, Brother “Ador” worked for the Department of the Treasury as a financial operations manager serving six treasury secretaries. Chief Carreon is not the only master chief in the group. There is also Worshipful Brother Bayani Casanova, a Grand Inspector at the Grand Lodge of Maryland, Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of Ecuador, and also Worshipful Brother Bayani Diokno formally of Micronesia Lodge No. 173, located on the island of Guam. In 2008 Brother Ador became president of the Philippine American Foundation for Charities, Inc. (PAFC); prior to which he was its vice president for internal affairs. He was also the overall chairman continued on page 27