Fraternity News Council

ANCIENT GARDENERS FRATERNITY HELD ITS FIRST BIENNIAL, ALL PRAISES FROM NEW MEMBER COLONEL BOSITA

TAGAYTAY CITY, Philippines — Marking a historic milestone for fraternal organizations in the country, the Independent Ancient Order of Free Gardeners (IAOFG) Philippines successfully held its 1st Grand Biennial Convention and Grand Installation of Officers on June 20, 2026, at the Royale Tagaytay Country Club.

The high-profile event, highlighted the formal installation of a new set of officers. Leading the group is Charter Grand Master Rupert Corpuz, who was duly installed for a second consecutive two-year term. The ceremony was presided over by the outgoing Charter Senior Grand Warden, lawyer Manuel Rodriguez, who officially installed Corpuz before the latter led the installation rites for the rest of the newly minted leadership roster.


A major highlight of the biennial convention was the conferral of honorary memberships upon two prominent public figures. The order welcomed Dr. Florante Ibarra, a Cambridge-educated Filipino scholar who serves as the education dean of Central Luzon State University. Joining him as a new honorary member was former Congressman, popular online personality, and retired police colonel Bonifacio Bosita.

In his keynote address, Colonel Bosita praised the fraternity, hailing it as a powerful new driving force for good and morality in the Philippines. He noted that the organization's expansion and strengthening come at a perfect time, especially considering the current moral turmoil confronting the nation.

The Free Gardeners order like the more known to filipinos; freemasons, is an ancient fraternal organization. It traces its origin back to 1676 in Scotland, heavily drawing from the traditions, mutual aid networks, and symbols of ancient professional gardeners. The IAOFG maintains strict historical amity ties with Scottish grand lodges, preserving centuries-old rituals focused on moral development, charity, and fellowship.

The fraternity’s lineage in the Philippines arrived in distinct stages. It first reached local shores through the International Order of Free Gardeners (IOFG). This was followed by the establishment of the Grand Lodge of Free Gardeners Philippines and, subsequently, the Sovereign Grand Lodge of the IAOFG. Though the rituals have similarities with freemasonry, they are not related. However, just like in overseas and in ancient times, there are huge overlapping membership between freemasonry and freegardeners. The installed IAOFG grand master, Rupert Corpuz is also a freemason.

Today, the Grand Lodge of Free Gardeners Philippines and the IAOFG share close ties of amity. Both organizations operate under the massive global umbrella organization, the International Confederation of Free Gardeners (ICFG), which works to unify grand jurisdictions across Europe, North America, and Asia. Meanwhile, the IOFG operates independently, maintaining its primary structural bases between the United States and the Philippines.

The event at Royale Tagaytay Country Club solidifies the rapid growth of the Free Gardeners movement in Southeast Asia, turning ancient Scottish traditions into active avenues for local philantrophy and moral stewardship.

(Article updated 6/22 1:54am)

Magkaiba ng taon. Magkaiba ng Ama.
Pero iisa ang dugo: BROTHERHOOD.

Tau Gamma Phi — Since 1968
Alpha Kappa Rho — Since 1973

111 years combined na serbisyo sa bayan.
600+ at 500+ chapters na tumutulong sa komunidad.

Hindi ito laban. Ito ay pagkilala.
Salute sa lahat ng Triskelion at Skeptron dyan.

Comment mo year ng chapter mo 👇
Respect Begets Respect.

WHAT QUADRANT ARE YOU IN... AND WHY?

Drop your jurisdiction + answer below.
No personal attacks.

Tag a Brother who needs to see this.
Tag a Fake who needs to stop this.

NOT JUST MASONS. NOT JUST GARDENERS. ⚒️🌿

Independent United Order of Mechanics, F.S.
one of the great Friendly Societies found throughout the civilized world.

Their creed? Charity. Benevolence. Fidelity. Truth.
Sound familiar? Because they share the same fraternal DNA.

Ctto: Independent United Order of Mechanics

Spanish vs. American?
CLIPSAS vs. UGLE?
Rizal vs. Quezon?
LIBERAL vs. REGULAR?

Saan ka at bakit?

SUBMITTED CONTENT:

Two Grand Masters. One frame. A moment that speaks louder than words.

MW Lestat Jongco, Grand Master of the Gran Logia Soberana del Archipiélago Filipino (GLSdAF), together with the Most Respectable Pierre Bertinotti, Grand Master of the Grand Orient de France (GOdF), the historic driving force of Liberal or “Continental” Freemasonry worldwide.

Captured during the Grand Orient of Switzerland Convent, 2025 – a meeting of leadership, and a shared commitment to the enduring principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity.

Some photographs capture a moment. Others capture the making of history.

This was more than a photograph, it was a reminder that the future of Freemasonry is built by those bold enough to forge unity across nations, traditions, and generations.

(Note from FNC: Article and photo submitted by EL David. He is a Filipino liberal freemason.

FNC is not taking sides as regards the issues of liberal freemasons and regular freemasons which are represented in the Philippines by the Grand Lodge of F&A Masons of the Philippines.)

THREE SOBERANA FACTIONS WIDENS GAP IN THE MANILA-BASED RECENT PUBLIC STATEMENT

The internal rift among groups claiming as the Gran Logia Soberana del Archipiélago Filipino escalated dramatically following the controversial Cebu gathering, sparking a rapid-fire exchange of conflicting official statements from opposing factions.

(Fraternity News Council had previous report on the Cebu gathering)

The Manila-based faction, headquartered at the historic Rizal Masonic Temple at 1316 Cavite St., Tondo, Manila, broke its silence by issuing an "Official Public Statement" dated June 17, 2026 posted in their official page.

This document denounces regional spin-off groups. The Manila headquarters explicitly states that the "Datu Sikatuna" group led by Mr. June Albert Jordan is entirely unrecognized, declaring their degrees null and void, while revealing that Jordan had previously been expelled before breaching a former covenant of peace. In a January 2026 social media post, it was seen that Jordan indeed "went back" to the Manila-based Soberana, only to be expelled again because of the Cebu gathering.

Furthermore, as shown in statement the Manila leadership rejects a separate body styling itself the Sovereign Grand Lodge of the Visayas and Mindanao, branding its face, Mr. Mc Aldous "Makdo" Castañares, as an expelled former high-ranking member with zero authority, and threatening legal action over trademark and organizational rights.

Only minutes after the Manila declaration went public, the Visayas and Mindanao faction led by Castañares retaliated with its own swift, categorical counter-statement. This faction fiercely rejected the notice from the Manila leadership, labeling it malicious, self-serving, and jurisdictionally void. They asserted that the Manila leadership possesses no lawful Masonic authority over their grand jurisdiction, dismissing the claims as a display of institutional insecurity and personal vendetta, while boldly declaring that a self-interested circle cannot annul a legitimate lineage.

To understand the weight of this fracturing, it is essential to look at the broader landscape of Philippine Freemasonry. Historically, the dominant and mainstream body in the country is the Grand Lodge of the Philippines (GLP). While the GLP traces its contemporary line through the American Masonic tradition and considers bodies like the Soberana to be "clandestine," the Gran Logia Soberana del Archipiélago Filipino maintains a distinct historical identity. It traces its roots back to the late 19th-century Spanish tradition, established as a vehicle for sovereign, Filipino-led institutional independence during an era of fierce nationalism.

Despite the GLP’s traditional stance on regularity, the Manila-based Soberana faction commands significant objective institutional footprint. It is formally recognized by over 100 international masonic jurisdictions through its alignment with CLIPSAS, a global organization promoting liberal Masonic traditions. Locally, it maintains close fraternal ties, though short of formal treaties of amity, with other independent bodies such as the Gran Logia Nacional de Filipinas and the Independent Grand Lodge of Philippine Freemasonry (IGLPI).

The prominent standing of the Cavite Street Manila faction is further underscored by its public and civic footprint. Representatives of this group are frequent official invitees of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), standing alongside the GLP during major national commemorations, such as the recent Independence Day ceremonies at Luneta Park and the Aguinaldo Shrine in Kawit, Cavite.

Adding another layer of intrigue to the unfolding leadership dispute, the head of the Manila leadership was also recently seen holding a high-profile meeting with the former Grand Master of the GLP, Raul Canon, signaling that despite formal jurisdictional divides, the Cavite Street faction remains deeply integrated into the wider fabric of the country's fraternal and historical community.

NJEC NULLIFIES 11TH DIVISION VOTES IN EAGLES NATIONAL ELECTIONS; SPECIAL POLLS ORDERED FOR OFWS, CENIZA GROUP

QUEZON CITY — The National Joint Election Committee (NJEC) of The Fraternal Order of Eagles - Philippine Eagles, Inc. has officially voided all ballots cast by specific voter segments within its Eleventh Division, following the discovery of "blatant irregularities" and "deliberate violations" during the recent national elections.

The sweeping directive is contained in an official order-resolution dated June 17, 2026.

Emergency Confiscation

According to document, the electoral breakdown was confined to two specialized sectors within the 11th Division: the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) proxy voting system and the localized Ceniza Group precinct.

The resolution reveals that the urgent intervention was triggered by violations "personally witnessed... and perpetrated in [the] immediate presence" of Atty. Darwin F. Castillon, the NJEC member specifically assigned to the 11th Division. Acting entirely on his own motion (motu proprio), Castillon initiated an administrative review and executed an emergency confiscation of the compromised ballots to safeguard the integrity of the broader electoral process.

The committee noted that the procedural breakdowns made it "legally impossible to determine the true and lawful will of the voters" within those specific segments, thereby destroying the presumption of regularity.

Tallies Excluded

In the second page of the mandate, the NJEC decreed that all ballots cast uniquely by the affected OFW and Ceniza Group voters are "INVALID, NULL, and VOID AB INITIO"—meaning they are legally treated as if they never existed.

The Electoral Secretariat and the Board of Canvassers have been strictly directed to completely set aside, exclude, and disregard all certified tallies, electronic returns, or data transmissions originating from the affected precincts.

Other Divisions Unaffected

The NJEC emphasized that the irregularities were strictly isolated. All other divisions, precincts, and national electoral counts across the fraternal organization remain completely unaffected, valid, and uninvolved.

To ensure that qualified members are not permanently disenfranchised, the NJEC en banc has ordered a special election isolated entirely to the registered voters of the affected 11th Division segments, to be conducted within the period prescribed by organizational mandates.

The order was finalized and signed in Quezon City by Atty. Castillon on behalf of the NJEC 11th Division.

Congratulations to our newly elected National President, Kuya Javier Agaton! 🦅🎉

May your leadership inspire unity, strengthen our organization, and uphold the principles of service, integrity, and excellence. Wishing you a successful and meaningful term ahead.

Congratulations and best wishes! 🇵🇭✨