CELEBRATING A PRODUCTIVE PARTNERSHIP

When Bro. Val Santos stepped down as the Venerable Master of the Munoz Bodies of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rites, the Royal Matron of Model Court and the immediate Past Master of Model Lodge was there to celebrate a productive year-long partnership.

Together, that partnership was able to launch joint activities on Community Medical Outreach and Nutrient Supplementation, the annual "Operation Tuli" and "Adopt-a-School" projects, a school-based and yearlong "Free Lunch" project, a scholarship project for girls, and charity drive for an orphanage.  

At the same time, the Royal Matron and her entourage also witnessed the installation of three Sir Knights as the Three Lights of the Munoz Bodies: SK Jesus Tito Tuquero of San Jose City Court No. 55 as Venerable Master, and the Court's own SK Aquilino Valino Jr. as Senior Warden and SK Shubert Ciencia, its incumbent Royal Patron, as Junior Warden. 

THE LAST CHRISTMAS

The school plans to improve its perimeter fence to secure its students and premises but it does not have enough funds to do so.

So Model Court teamed up again with Model Lodge and the Munoz Bodies (AASR) and raised enough funds to procure 30 bags of cement that were turned-over to the Kabulihan Elementary School in Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija for the improvement of their school perimeter fence.

It was a fitting finale to the Court's a year-long partnership with its host Blue Lodge and Scottish Rites Masons in community service and charity work.

A VALENTINE'S DATE

On the Day of Hearts, Model Lodge and the Sir Knights of Model Court feted their Honored Ladies with a night out sans the the kids and cares of the world.

The Master of the Lodge himself, SK Fitzgerald Hierco, led in presenting three red roses each to the Honored Ladies and sisters in attendance in the first ever Valentine's Party to be organized by both the Lodge and the Court.

It was a "Model Lodge loves Model Court" thing but the spotlight is on the ladies of the Lodge and the Court.

In other words, "Sina Ateng and bida"!

And the Sir Knights made sure the Honored Ladies felt the love of that night.

It was also an opportunity to reach out to former members of the Court who came and graced the occasion, and hopefully encourage them to renew their membership.

And a moment of bonding with other members of Amaranthine Courts within the jurisdiction of District V.

On this night, Model Lodge and Model Court wishes all those who loved, have been loved, and are always in love wherever they are in the world!

THE 1st NUEVA ECIJA PERSONAL ESSAY WORKSHOP

Model Court through its Royal Matron is proud to be part of the first ever Nueva Ecija Personal Essay Writing Workshop that was participated by 15 budding writers from Nueva Ecija who were selected to participate after a tough screening process. 

The Royal Matron helped raised funds to support the workshop including facilitating a meeting with Bro. Mario Salvador, San Jose City Mayor, who immediately provided much needed financial assistance.

The workshop was facilitated by US-based multiple Palanca awardee Wilfredo "Oyet" Pascual, Jr. who is also launching "Kilometer 0", a collection of his best personal essays. 

Wilfredo Pascual is a close friend of the Royal Patron who with their CLSU-affiliated friends helped mobilize support for that made the successful workshop possible.

SCHOOLS IN A FOREST

In a fitting exclamation mark to one year of a fruitful partnership, Model Court with Model Lodge and the Munoz Bodies (AASR) donated mahogany seedlings to two of its adopted schools in Sto. Domingo, Nueve Ecija.

The Rogelio Valdezotto Elementary school is the recipient of the first 150 seedlings that will be planted in the school grounds...



...while another 150 seedlings were turned over to the Sagaba Elementary School that will be planted along the barangay road where a ceremonial tree planting was conducted by the Royal Matron and Master of the Lodge with the school principal and Barangay Captain.

The seedlings were made available through the efforts of VM Val Santos of the Munoz Bodies who was represented in the turn over by the Royal Patron.

A SIR KNIGHT ASSUMES THE ORIENTAL CHAIR

On this day, SK Fitzgerald Hierco who is the Court's incumbent and incoming Treasurer was duly installed as the 10th Master of Model Lodge No. 373.

He follows on the footsteps of SKs Anacleto Fernandez (2nd Master), Marionito Guerrero (4th Master and the acknowledged Father of Model Court), Sergio Francisco (PRP and 5th Master), Aquilino Valino, Jr. (6th Master), Shubert Ciencia (RP and 7th Master), Nathaniel Elegado (8th Master), and Jojit Floro (PRP and 9th Master) who presided from the Lodge's Oriental Chair, as he will also be followed by two other member so the Court, SKs Angelito Dela Cruz and Virgilio Santos who were also installed as Senior and Junior Wardens, respectively.

Installed with them are SKs Rafael Perez as Treasurer, Monico Delgado (PRP) as Assistant Treasurer, Shubert Ciencia as Secretary, Reynald Martin as Assistant Secretary, Arnel Landingin as Auditor, Elpidio Dizon as Organist, and Jojit Floro (PRP) as Tyler.

Model Court is all hands on deck for the pre-installation preparations and during the rites, keeping the Brethren of Model Lodge company as it always have been, through thick and thin.

After all, the Lodge and the Court are one big happy family and that was further emphasized when the Court's incumbent Royal Matron and all its Past Royal Matrons were duly received and seated in the East during the reception for dignitaries.

GIVING MORE IN 2017

Model Court ushered 2017 and the "Year of the Fire Rooster" with a donation of used clothes and toys to a Seventh Day Adventist charity project in Pozzorubio, Pangasinan.

The donation was turned over by the Royal Matron and Patron in behalf of the Court, and was made possible through the generous contributions of its members.

A SIR KNIGHT'S VOW

Every December, SK Jojit Floro who is a Past Royal Patron of Model Court and the incumbent Master of Model Lodge makes his annual gift-giving pilgrimage to the "Bahay ni San Jose" orphanage in San Antonio, Nueva Ecija.

For this year's edition, the Sir Knight is accompanied by a delegation from Model Court and Model Lodge who collected donations of milk, rice, assorted food items, and hygiene kits form their members to support his vow.

What made this year's visit to the orphanage special are the fishball cart and home made ice cream that was mobbed by the orphans, most of whom have never experienced the childhood excitement of skewering fishballs [and kikiam and day-old chicks too!] as it cooks, and seldom enjoy the pleasure of an ice cream, courtesy of Bro. Emil Andrew Dela Rosa. 

At the end of the day, there were 43 happy orphans, two thankful nuns, and a group of humbled adults who went home satisfied that they were able to make a difference how little it may be, and left a promise that they will come back next year, both Model Court and Model Lodge, to help Sir Knight Jojit perform his vow.

A GIFT OF LOVE

It was the day before Christmas when the Royal Matron and Patron decided that it will be shameful to spend P5,000 for the noche buena meal of a family of five.

That amount instead was donated by them in behalf of Model Court to the annual gift-giving project of D' Hanks, a community socio-civic organization, which helped provide noche buena packages for 160 families in Bacal 2, Talavera, Nueva Ecija.

Later on Christmas Eve, the Royal Matron and Patron shared with their family a bowl of simple bihon guisado for the midnight feast.

It was one of the best noche buenas they've ever had...

HAPPY TOGETHER: A JOINT CHRISTMAS PARTY WITH MODEL LODGE

As was the tradition, it was a joint Christmas Party for Model Court and Model Lodge.

As was the case, it was Model Lodge hosting through incumbent Worshipful Master and SK Jojit Floro (PRP) with Senior Warden (Worshipful Master-elect) and SK Fitzgerald Hierco, Junior Warden (Senior Warden-elect) and SK Angelito Dela Cruz, and and SK Virgilio Santos (Junior Warden-elect), while the Honored Ladies led by Royal Matron Baby Liza Ciencia with HL Haydee Floro (PRM) and HL Jocelyn Villanueva (PRM) presiding over the program.

And so the Holiday Games rolled off, for the Kuyangs...

...for the Atengs...

...between couples...

...and among the kids.  

And so it was that the wine of refreshment flowed in toast of the Holiday Season.

And so it is that gifts were raffled and exchanged.

Model Court and Model Lodge wishes everybody peace, good health, and prosperity this Christmas and all the succeeding Christmases!

MARY JANE'S LUNCH

Everyday from Monday to Friday, Mary Jane (Grade 7) walks an average of 10 kilometers from the Sto. Rosario National High School to her home in Ilog Baliwag to have lunch and back.

There times when she fails to return to school after lunch, because the sun is too hot, it's raining hard, or she's simply just too tired.

Princess Janine (Grade 7) and Kristine (Grade 9) walk almost the same mileage to their homes in Gen. Luna, for the same reasons, with the same consequences.

There are other names: Joanna May, Paul Ryan, John Ray, Erica, Michelle, Loraine, Pepito.

What they share in common is they belong to poor families, too poor that they can't afford to buy their lunch near the school, too poor to be able to bring a decent lunch from home.

Their biggest chance of escaping poverty is to get to school and finish it and yet, the same poverty keeps them from attending their classes.

HL Maricel Pascual teaches at the Sto. Rosario National High School.

She strongly feels that somethings should be done to help at least these 10 students, and  she called for help.

The Craft heard her, and Model Lodge, Model Court, and the Munoz Bodies of Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rites immediately responded by pooling money to buy lunch for the students for the duration of the school year.

Thus was the story behind the "Lunch Mo, Sagot Ko" project that was launched to provide a decent lunch every school day for the rest of the school year to these students and help ensure that they stay in school. 

It was a low key event, not for the usual photo ops but rather an assurance to the students that they have big brothers and sisters who feel their needs and can depend on.

For members of the Craft in attendance, it was a commitment and an opportunity for giving back to communities and people in need, and giving poor students a better chance of winning their battle against poverty and having a better future.