EDICT NO. 134

PERMANENT COMMISSION ON CHARITY AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Mason of the Philippines to exemplify the tenets and teachings of Freemasonry by promoting love, fostering brotherhood, achieving harmony among Masons and, enhancing the welfare of our Order; WHEREAS, to attain these ends, Masons are enjoined to aid, assist and relieve distressed worthy brother Masons and orphans; WHEREAS, in the face of the rising costs of medicines and medical care, it becomes necessary to avail of medical assistance that can be extended by brethren in the medical and allied profession on a voluntary basis and provide adequate and competent assistance to distressed worthy brother Masons, their widows and orphans, or immediate members of their families, as well as employees of the Grand Lodge and their dependents.

NOW, THEREFORE, by virtue of the authority in me vested by the Constitution, I, JOHN L. CHOA, Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Philippines do hereby promulgate and decree:

SEC. 1. To carry out the above policy, a permanent body known as the Commission on Charity and Medical Assistance, hereafter referred to as the Commission, is hereby created and established under the direct supervision and control of the Grand Master.

SEC. 2. The Commission shall have the following functions:

a. Plan, implement and oversee an integrated medical assistance program to aid, assist and relieve distressed worthy brother Masons, their widows, orphans or immediate dependents, employees of the Grand Lodge and their immediate dependents, and indigent walk-in patients;

b. Establish, develop and maintain a Masonic Medical Center in such space as may be provided in the Old Plaridel Temple by the Grand Master and provide equipment and medical facilities therefor;

c. Provide, harness and maintain a staff of volunteer physicians who are Masons, medical technologist, nurses and midwives to render service at the Masonic Medical Center and solicit donations of medicines and equipment for the Center subject to rules and regulations as the Commission may provide;

d. Exercise such other acts as are incidental to or are appropriate and necessary in the creation of the Commission;

SEC. 3. The Commission shall be composed of a Chairman and six (6) Commissioners all of whom shall be appointed by the Grand Master for a term of six (6) years commencing on the date of appointment and expiring at the close of the Annual Communication six (6) years thereafter.

The Chairman and the Commissioners of the Commission must be Master Masons of good standing, duly licensed practitioners in the field of medicine or allied government regulated professions for at least five (5) years prior to their appointment.

SEC. 4. The Commission shall have the power to do all acts and things necessary to be done in connection with the performance of its functions, including:

a. To appoint officers and other personnel of the Masonic Medical Center and fix their compensation subject to existing laws, rules and regulations;

b. To delegate authority for the performance of any function to officers and employees under its direction;

c. To enter into contracts subject to approval by the Grand Master;

d. To accept gifts, bequests, and grants for the attainment of the purposes of the Commission.

SEC. 5. There shall be an executive Director who shall be appointed or designated as such by the Chairman, preferably from among the ranks of the Commissioners, and shall direct and supervise the day-to-day operations of the Masonic Medical Center.

SEC. 6. The administration and full control of the physical facilities, including office and clinic space, as shall be provided to the Masonic Medical Center by the Grand Master from the existing facilities of the Old Plaridel Temple shall be transferred to the Commission upon effectivity of this Edict.

SEC. 7. The Masonic Medical Center may call on the members of the Commission, volunteer medical technologist, nurses and midwives who are Master Masons to render the following services to the Center:

1. Out patient services;
2. General Medicines
3. Referral of special cases to outside specialists or hospitals.

Outpatient consultation services shall be rendered at the Center to:

1. Brother Masons and immediate members of their family;
2. Indigent patients referred by brother Masons;
3. Emergency cases involving walk-in indigent patients;
4. Grand Lodge employees and dependents.

The Center may accept voluntary donations in cash or in kind from patients, provided the donations shall accrue to the Center for its maintenance. Medicines shall be provided free of charge to indigent patients, if available; otherwise, at reasonable costs to all other patients.

Unless otherwise provided by the executive Director, and depending on availability of staff and personnel, the Medical Center, shall be open to consultations and medical care on Mondays to Saturdays from 2:00 - 4:00 P.M.

SEC. 8. In order to provide the necessary funds required for the operational expenditures of the Commission, the amount of P10.00 contributed by each Master Mason listed in the Annual Report of each subordinate Lodge of the Charity Fund as provided in Section 2 (b), Article VII, Part II, Ordinances appended to the Constitution is hereby appropriated, provided the operating expenses shall not exceed eighty percent (80%) of the receipts of said Charity Funds.

The Commission may engage in promotion, solicitation or fund raising activities to provide funds for the operational expenses, subject to prior approval by the Grand Master and audit of its receipts and disbursements as may be directed by the Grand Master from time to time.

SEC. 9. The Commission shall render to the Grand Master at least sixty (60) days prior to the Annual Communication an annual report of its activities and its financial condition properly audited by the Committee on Finance. The Commission's report and statement of financial condition shall be included in the annual report of the Grand Master at the Annual Communication.

SEC. 10. All laws, edicts, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with this edict are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 11. If any provision of this Edict is declared unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity of effectivity of the other provisions hereof.

SEC. 12. This edict shall take effect immediately and shall be read in open Lodge at the stated meeting next following its receipt and shall be recorded in the minutes thereof.

GIVEN under my hand and seal of the Grand Lodge on this 18th day of March 1991, at Manila, Philippines.

(Sgd.) JOHN L. CHOA Grand Master ATTEST: (Sgd.) ROSENDO C. HERRERA, PGM Grand Secretary