Masonry (or Freemasonry) is the oldest fraternity in the world. No one knows just how old it is because the actual origins have been lost in time. Probably, it arose from the guilds of stonemasons who built the castles and cathedrals of the middle ages. Possibly, they were influenced by the Knights Templar, a group of Christian warrior monks formed in 1118 to help protect pilgrims making trips to the Holy Land. In 1717, Masonry created a formal organization in England when the first Grand Lodge was formed. A Grand Lodge is the administrative body in charge of Masonry in some geographical area. In the United States, there is a Grand Lodge in each state. In Canada, there is a Grand Lodge in each province. Local organizations of Masons are called lodges. There are lodges in most towns, and large cities usually have several. There are about 16,000 lodges in the United States, with over 4.5 million members.

In the Philippines there are about 400 lodges, distributed all over the archipelago and in the most progressive and developed provinces, cities and towns. Freemasonry being a progressive moral science based on truth and morality, masons are  synonymous to god-fearing, progressive freedom-lovers, community-oriented  good citizens, promoters of education for all and dedicated to the common good.