MY HOMAGE AND CLARION CALL TO THE MASONS

A speech delivered by the Hon. Joseph F. Violago, representative of Nueva Ecija-2nd District on the 15th Public Installation of Officers of Eulogio R. Dizon Lodge No 321 under the jurisdiction of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of the Free and Accepted Masons of the Philippines, Pag-asa Gym, Talugtug, Nueva Ecija at 1:30 p.m., February 25, 2012

Coming

together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is

success.
Worshipful Master Primo Dario Sabado and all the officers and members of Eulogio R. Dizon Lodge No. 321, fellow public servants, guests, ladies and gentlemen,

this is the main thread and kernel of my thoughts today.

And, before I go any further, may I again mention what a great honor it is to be with you today. I thank all of you for inviting me to be a part of this special gathering of your world-renowned organization. that now has crawled at the very doorsteps of even the advanced and wealthy nations of the world. What is happening now at Greece, Portugal and even Italy is just the tip of the iceberg. The European Union is racing fast to come up with remedial measures to avert a horiffic financial disaster. The dreaded spillovers to Third World economies are said to be even more devastating, but we are so fortunate, the multi-billion dollar remitances of our OFWs has kept afloat our weak economy. I still remember that way back in 1997, our country was not spared from the world financial crisis. But we rolled, parried and survived the heavy blows. History, and our history, in particular, had always taught and reminded us that we are a resilient race, and although we may not be as mighty as the others, we have always survived and withstood the myriad challenges of the times. Here at the homefront, in our beloved province, our pioneers had unfailingly and steadfastly demonstrated that same spirit. With strength, perseverance and an indomitable spirit, they converted what were once marshlands and dry patches into one of the countrys most fertile plains and serving as one of the biggest and principal rice granaries for the entire archipelago. And, who would have thought that we would become the biggest suppliers of onions, producing more than 40% of the country's needs? Ever oblivious of the scorching heat and backbreaking and never-ending toils, that is what we have all become as a people, so that the lands will be kind and productive for our families to enjoy for many years and for the next generations. Indeed, ladies and gentlemen, we need not go far to be both impressed and guided by the many precious lessons of our history. The history of Philippine masonry
Ladies and gentlemen, our nation continues to wallow in an economic recession

tells us of the same, but more than that, may I state that it spans far many more decades of selfless dedication and involvement for our country. I know you know this by heart. Who would not know Rizal, Del Pilar, Lopez-Jaena, Mabini, the Luna brothers, Aguinaldo and even the revolutionary Bonifacio and the many more who were the primemovers of the intellectual ferment and national uprising in 1896 that led to the downfall of the Spanish empire which held us by the throats for more than three centuries? In so many books and schools through time, they are called nationalists and heroes and martyrs. Not many, however, do not know that they are masons and worse, it is not taught that they were the ones who established the first Masonic lodges of the country to respond to the colossal challenges then of the colonial times. No one teaches that publications like La Solidaridad and many other illustrious writings were made by the masons in clamoring for reforms and which would later break the Spanish colonial rule. No one teaches that Bonifacios organizational skills and the secret codes that he employed were copied from the Masonic secret rules and procedures. No one teaches that it was through the masons that the Noli Me Tangere and the El Filibusterismo were distributed among Filipinos here and abroad. The equilateral triangle of our Philippine flag was put there to honor masonry, according to Aguinaldo, who once said that the first Philippine Republic, of which I was its humble President, was an achievement we owe largely to Masonry and the Masons. It is also said that the Philippine Revolution of 1896 was masonically inspired, masonically planned and masonically executed. Truly, our masons who fought and put an end to Spanish tyranny are believers of liberalism and enlightenment. During the American occupation, Claro M. Recto and Jose P. Laurel sponsored a bill for all students to study these banned Rizal books. They were both masons. The man who virtually fathered the public elementary school system in the country was a member of the Sinukuan Lodge. His name is Isauro Gabaldon. He authored and sponsored the Gabaldon Act of 1907 which appropriated a huge amount of money for the construction of public schools all throughout the archipelago.

The first Labor Union, the Union Democratico Filipino, was founded by Isabelo de los Reyes, a mason. In 1902, Dr. Dominador Gomez led the first Philippine Labor Day. Act No. 1818 was passed six years later declaring May 1 Labor Day. Gomez was a mason, too. President Manuel Luis Quezon, father of our Commonwealth era, was also a mason.

No one also teaches that we have many high-ranking officials of government in all the three branches of government who are masons. Former Chief Justice Reynato Puno, a few years ago, was a Grandmaster of Masons. Not many know that yours is an institution having for its foundation the practice of social and moral virtues, independence of mind and fearless defense of justice, human rights and democratic principles. Your unwavering sense of integrity and fidelity to your principles are truly timeless paragons worthy of emulation by our citizenry especially our youth, along with your superior abilities to discern what is right and what must ever reign supreme. But, whatever I have read and heard so far about masonry is just a miniscule part of a great whole, and although I may endeavor to learn more about your history, laws, customs, tenets and principles, sacred signs and your faith and many more, these will never suffice and thus, I will not delve on these matters which you know more than I do. I came across, however, of one of the most eloquent artciles written by the Reverend Joseph Fort Newton, an internationally honored minister, who asked: When is a man a Mason? He said: When he can look out over the rivers, the hills, and the far horizon with a profound sense of his own littleness in the vast scheme of things, and yet have faith, hope, and courage which is the root of every virtue..When he has learned how to make friends and to keep them, and above all how to keep friends with himself. When no voice of distress reaches his ears in vain, and no hand seeks his aid without response. When he finds good in every faith that helps any man to lay hold of divine things and sees majestic meanings in life, whatever the name of that faith may be. When he knows how to pray, how to love, how to hope.When he has kept faith with himself with his fellow man, and with his God; in his hand a sword for evil, in his heart a bit of a song----- glad to live, but not afraid to die! Such a man has found the only real secret of Masonry, and the one which it is trying to give to all the world. The words of former President Carlos P. Garcia, in a speech before a gathering of masons, is also very inspiring and may I quote:
I cannot help but take cognizance of the great and noble work which your grand fraternity had done and is still doing for freedom of thought and conscience, for democracy and equality. In our country and in the United States, members of your brotherhood led in the fight for the sacrosanct cause of liberty, equality and fraternity.

Truly, masonry is in the heart of great men in our country, and I am certain, history will always move on in our side and in our favor, as long as there are masons

like you and as long as your brotherhood will remain strong as before. With you and because of you, the masons of Nueva Ecija, there is not an iota of doubt that we could always rely on you for the much needed transformative reforms and policies for the advancement and progress of our people and in our collective quest for a better life for all. Again, my dear brethren, on this occasion of the installation of your officers and with our first coming together, I am fervently hoping that we shall endeavor to look at possible programs for a more progressive Nueva Ecija, with greater unity, fervor and commitment. My legislative agenda has always been built on six pillars namely (1) agriculture (2) education, (3) environment, (4) public health, order and security, (5) infrastructure and (6) social justice and welfare, and which my beloved father had vigorously and faithfully pursued in his many years of public service. Alam kong batid din po ninyo ang karampatang gugugulin para sa lalong ikakalawak ng mga programang ito para mas marami pa pong mamamayan ang mabibiyayaan. Kaya kayo po ay malugod kong inaanyahan na tayo ay sama-samang magtulungan sa anumang programang inyong babalangkasin at mapagkakaisahan para lalong ikasasagana ng Nueva Ecija at ng lahat ng ating pinamumunuan at pinagsisilbihan. Ganap na mahalaga na lalo pa nating palakasin ang ating pagkakaisa at pagasa ng bawat mamamayan para sa isang mas magandang kinabukasan, at lagi akong nananalig na sa inyong patuloy na pagtitiwala at pagtulong, ang lahat ng ating pagpupunyagi para sa ikakabuti ng ating pamayanan ay lalo pang magbubunga ng malawig na kagalingan sa lahat ng taumbayan. For so many centuries, your brotherhood has always been the strongest catalysts of unity, democracy and enlightenment. Batid ko po ito, mga kapatid, at lubos akong nagtitiwala sa inyong lakas at kakayahan. Muli, nagpapasalamat ako sa inyong dalisay at dakilang paglilingkod sa inyong sinumpaang tungkulin para sa sambayanan. Hindi ako kailanman magsasawang magbigay-pugay at pasasalamat sa inyong mga kabayanihan. Maraming salamat po.