Beyond the Craft

Country guide / Philippines

One Craft.
Two major routes.

Philippine Freemasonry begins with the Grand Lodge and its warranted Lodges. York Rite and Scottish Rite then offer distinct, separately governed paths for eligible Master Masons.

01 / Start with the Grand Lodge

Craft first.
Authority clear.

GLP

The Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Philippines was organised in 1912. Its 1917 union with twenty-seven Filipino Lodges brought American-chartered and Spanish-derived streams into one nationally rooted jurisdiction.

The practical rule

Join through a warranted Craft Lodge. Treat York Rite, Scottish Rite and Masonic-family organisations as separate choices with their own qualifications and governing bodies.

02 / Connection map

How Philippine Masonic routes connect

Begin with a warranted Craft Lodge, then distinguish the coordinated York Rite branches from the separately governed Scottish Rite and Masonic-family organisations.

Foundation or authorityOrder, route or jurisdictionChristian qualificationRelated or specialist body

Select a body to see its route

Educational overview only. Recognition, eligibility and progression vary by jurisdiction. Always confirm current requirements with the relevant official body.

Visual orientation

An archipelago
of connected bodies.

The shared Craft foundation matters more than geography. Further orders may coordinate nationally, while local availability still depends on Chapters, Councils, Commanderies, Valleys and other authorised units.

An abstract parchment country map with gold route lines and globe-like arcs
Relationships shown here are educational, not a compulsory hierarchy.

03 / The principal bodies

Shared foundation.
Separate authority.

The Grand Lodge governs Craft. The Grand York Rite coordinates three connected branches, while the Scottish Rite answers to its own Philippine Supreme Council.

Craft authority

Grand Lodge of the Philippines

The national Craft jurisdiction, organised in 1912 and transformed by the unification of Filipino Lodges in 1917.

Read the Grand Lodge guide →
Coordinated further orders

Grand York Rite

Royal Arch Chapters, Cryptic Councils and Christian Templar Commanderies retain distinct governance within a coordinated Philippine structure.

Begin with the Royal Arch guide →
Sovereign Supreme Council

Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite

The Philippine Supreme Council has governed its Valleys and coordinate bodies independently since 1950.

Read the Scottish Rite guide →

04 / Beyond the Craft

Choose a route.
Not a rank.

York Rite presents a connected Chapter–Council–Commandery sequence. Scottish Rite uses its own philosophical degree system. Neither route is required to complete Craft membership.

York Rite / Capitular

Royal Arch

Chapters continue Temple and recovery themes and provide the usual first branch of Philippine York Rite exploration.

Explore Royal Arch →
York Rite / Cryptic

Royal & Select Masters

Councils explore preservation, the vault and narrative links between Craft and Royal Arch traditions.

Explore the Grand Council →
York Rite / Christian

Knights Templar

Commanderies use Christian pilgrimage and chivalric symbolism under explicitly faith-based qualifications.

Explore Templary →
Separate rite

Scottish Rite

Valleys work a structured degree family through Lodges of Perfection, Chapters, Councils and Consistories.

Explore Scottish Rite →

05 / Read the structure correctly

Similar language.
Different roles.

01

Craft authority

The Grand Lodge governs Craft Lodges and the three foundational degrees.

02

York Rite branches

Chapter, Council and Commandery are connected but retain distinct officers and bodies.

03

Scottish Rite sovereignty

The Supreme Council governs its own degrees and Valleys rather than the York Rite.

04

Family organisations

DeMolay and other allied bodies are not adult Masonic degree progression.

06 / Before you enquire

Verify the
right body.

  1. 01
    Start with a warranted Lodge

    Use the Grand Lodge's Lodge locator or official membership information rather than an unofficial social profile.

  2. 02
    Confirm good standing

    Further orders normally require current Master Mason membership and their own petition process.

  3. 03
    Choose by interest and faith

    Compare York, Scottish, Christian and service themes without treating them as a race.

  4. 04
    Ask about practical commitment

    Check travel, dues, regalia, rehearsal and meeting frequency before submitting a petition.

Detailed resources

Explore every
order and body.

Each guide contains more than 1,000 words covering history, eligibility, structure, meetings, costs, identity, misconceptions and official sources.

Craft Grand Lodge

Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Philippines

The sovereign Craft authority whose warranted Lodges form the principal regular Masonic jurisdiction associated with the Philippines.

Read the complete guide →York Rite Chapter

Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of the Philippines

The Capitular branch of the Grand York Rite of the Philippines, organised through constituent Royal Arch Chapters.

Read the complete guide →York Rite Cryptic Council

Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of the Philippines

The Cryptic branch of the Grand York Rite of the Philippines, working through constituent Councils of Royal and Select Masters.

Read the complete guide →Christian York Rite Commandery

Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of the Philippines

The Christian chivalric branch of the Grand York Rite of the Philippines, organised through constituent Commanderies.

Read the complete guide →Further-degree rite

Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite in the Philippines

The Philippine Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite governed by the sovereign Supreme Council, 33°, for the Republic of the Philippines.

Read the complete guide →Masonic-sponsored youth organisation

Order of DeMolay in the Philippines

A national youth leadership and character organisation governed by the Supreme Council, Order of DeMolay of the Republic of the Philippines.

Read the complete guide →Family and service organisations

Masonic Family Organisations in the Philippines

An orientation to adult, youth, family and service organisations publicly identified with the Philippine Masonic community.

Read the complete guide →

07 / Verified starting points

Official Philippine
sources.

01Grand Lodge of the PhilippinesCraft authority, Lodge locator and public guidance ↗ 02Official Grand Lodge history1912 organisation and 1917 unification ↗ 03Grand York Rite of the PhilippinesChapter, Council and Commandery ↗ 04Supreme Council, 33°Philippine Scottish Rite authority and history ↗ 05DeMolay PhilippinesNational youth organisation ↗ 06UGLE foreign Grand LodgesRecognition starting point for English Freemasons ↗