City Council declares April 19-24 "Masonic Week" in Cagayan de Oro
Source: Kagey-an.com
By Mike Banos
The Cagayan de Oro City Council has declared April 19-25, 2009 as Masonic Week in the city on the occasion of the 93rd Annual Communication (AnCom) of The Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of the Philippines which will be hosted by the Lodge’s Districts RX-A and RX-B on April 23-25, 2009.
Expected to grace the annual communication are the top three officers of every Blue Lodge in the Philippines and other lodges under the jurisdiction of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons in the Philippines which also covers Japan, Guam, Saipan, Mexico, Korea and the United States.
On motion of Councilor Ramon G. Tabor and duly second by Councilor Adrian L. Barba, resolution no. 9606-2009 was unanimously passed by the city council during its regular session on March 31, 2009.
In its resolution, the council recognized Freemasonry as the oldest and most revered fraternal or brotherhood organization in the world, which started as a secret organization and metamorphosed into an organization with secrets, as having contributed much to the growth of the community through its outreach and civic action programs that target those who have less in life as beneficiaries.
“In furtherance of their quest to master the craft under the providential guidance of the Great Architect of the Universe, Masons have gone a long way in serving the community as many of them are holding key positions in the government, thereby affording them better opportunity to help those in need of government’s immediate attention,” the resolution read further.
“In order to focus public attention on the Masonry and in recognition if the Freemasons’ contributions to the growth and development of the community, there is a cogent need to set aside a time for public awareness to the programs and activities given impetus during its AnCom,” Tabor said.
The AnCom kicks off on Monday, April 20 with the start of registration of the delegates and various sports on the following days including the AnCom Golf Tournament at Pueblo de Oro Golf & Country Club, AnCom 2009 Airsoft Tournament at Mulligan Field (in front Country Village Hotel) and AnCom 2009 Cagayan de Oro Grandmaster’s Cup Invitational Shooting Competition, a PPSA Level 1 sanctioned match at the NMPSA Firing Range, Camaman-an.
Other events lined up for the week include the unveiling of the Masonic Marker of Cagayan de Oro City at the Cagayan de Oro Port Area in Macabalan, courtesy call on city and provincial officials, and the Annual Convention of the Grand Guild of Past Masters of the Philippines at the Emperor Room, Grand Caprice Restaurant, Limketkai Center.
The 93rd AnCom officially starts on Thursday, April 23 with the opening rites at The Atrium of Limketkai Mall which will feature Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno as keynote speaker. The day’s festivities will culminate with the Grand Master’s Night honoring outgoing Grand Master Pacific B. Aniag.
For Friday, April 24, the AnCom continues with its plenary session which is the business portion of the convention climaxed by the elections for all elective positions of the Grand Lodge and culminates with an invitation-only Tribute to Past Grand Masters at the Mallberry Hotel.
The AnCom concludes on Saturday, April 25 with the installation of the Grand Lodge Officers for Masonic Year 2009-2010 at the Grand Ballroom of the Pryce Plaza led by Peter U. Lim Lo Suy, the first ever native-born Kagay-anon Grand Master of the Grand Lodge to grace the brotherhood’s highest elective post.