We chanced upon this gigantic masonic lodge in Paco last Saturday. According to wiki, freemasons meet as a ‘Lodge’ (not in a lodge). This is the first ‘Grand Lodges’ in the Philippines which was established in 1912. As of April 23, 2007, there were 316 lodges totaling 18,652 members.

Note that freemasonry is a fraternal organization (all men) dedicated to the Brotherhood of Man, and uses ancient tools and symbols to teach timeless lessons about ethics and morality. The square and compass symbol means “square their actions by the square of virtue”.

There are three degrees of Craft or inititates are: Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft and Master Mason. U.S. General Douglas MacArthur (1880-1964) was raised to the highest degree of Master Mason in Manila Lodge #1 on January 14, 1936. Our local freemasons include national heroes - Jose Rizal who joined in Madrid in 1884, Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Aguinaldo and Manuel Quezon.

Bravo Pletunia and Emong!! Ongoing exhibit at Alliance Francaise de Manille. Plet’s Le Boudoir Rouge Love Seat (foreground) and Emong’s Escape Artist.

The main crater lake in Taal. Did you know that there are 47 craters in Taal?

More Fun in the Philippines: to film Hollywood movies

Now that Bourne Legacy is in Manila filming, here’s 10 other Hollywood films shot in the Philippines compiled by Spot.ph. Note that Oliver Stone filmed two Vietnam war movies twice and likewise, Martin Sheen (1979) and his son Charlie (1986).

1. Brokedown Palace (1999) directed by Jonathan Kaplan and starring Claire Danes, Kate Beckinsale, Lou Diamond Phillips and Bill Pullman. Setting in Thailand, shot in Pasay City.

2. Amigo (2010) directed by John Sayles and starring Chris Cooper. Setting during the Philippine-American war in a rice farm community, shot in Bohol.

3. Apocalypse Now (1979) directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Laurence Fishburne and Harrison Ford. Setting is Saigon during the Vietnam War, shot in Baler, Aurora (Quezon), Pagsanjan, and Iba, (Zambales).

4. Platoon (1986) directed by Oliver Stone and starring Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe and Johnny Depp. Setting is Vietnam war, shot in Pagsanjan and Cavite.

5. Born on the Fourth of July (1989) directed by Oliver Stone and starring Tom Cruise. Setting is Vietnam, shot in Laog, Paoay, Vigan and Fort Ilocandia(Ilocos).

6. Black Mama, White Mama (1973) directed by Eddie Romero and starring Pam Grier. Setting is an island in the South Seas, shot in Manila and a forest.

7. The Year of Living Dangerously (1982) directed by Peter Weir starring Mel Gibson and Sigourney Weaver. Setting is Jakarta, shot in Manila and Ifugao.

8. Back to Bataan (1945) directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring John Wayne and Anthony Quinn. Setting is Japanese invation in the Philippines.

9. I Come With the Rain (2009) directed by Tran Anh Hung and starring Josh Hartnett. Setting Mindanao, shot in Mt. Diwalwal, Davao.

10. Too Late the Hero (1970) directed by Robert Aldrich and starring Micahel Caine and Henry Fonda. Setting Vanatu, shot in Boracay and Subic Bay.

More Fun in the Philippines: to swim with Whale Sharks!

I’m definitely Cebu-bound this February to swim with the whale sharks!! Yup, Cebu and not Donsol in Bicol which is dubbed the ‘whale shark capital of the world’. These gentle creatures have been drawing a number of tourists to the sleepy town of Oslob, south of Cebu.

Cebu is now becoming a world class diving destination with all of these sightings - the thresher shark in Malapascua, the sardine run in Pescador Island and now these friendly whale sharks. I just hope that the Department of Tourism set up something in Oslob soon before it gets out of hand.

More Fun in the Philippines: Cebu Prison makes it to ‘The Simpsons’

Super cool albeit only a split second, 0:18 to be exact. In this January 8 episode, the TV host where Homer Simpson was being interviewed said “Yes, your video has been mashed up, auto-tuned, Jimmy Fallon-ed, Philippine prisoner-ed…”