During the1960’s, American uniformed personnel stationed at Vietnam who wanted to become Freemasons had to travel and knocked at the door of Lodges in Manila, Philippines because of non-existence of a Blue Lodge in the country. This went on for several years causing difficulty to those who wish to join the craft as well as to brethren who wish to attend meetings and so on December 4, 1966, 37 Master Masons, sent a petition to M.W. Raymond E. Wilmarth, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the Philippines, requesting a dispensation to form a Craft Lodge at Saigon, Vietnam.
M.W. Manuel Q. Tinio granted this dispensation on January 4, 1967. The Lodge was approved by Grand Communication on April 23, 1969, and on June 6, 1969 during the term of M.W. Manuel M. Crudo in the Grand Oriental Chair, Saigon Lodge No. 188, F. & A.M., Saigon, Republic of South Vietnam was constituted.
The brethren initially met at their homes and later utilized the conference room of the BMK/BRJ Construction Company until finally renting the top floor of a three story apartment building in downtown Saigon where it held its lodge meetings. Here it remained until the fall of the country in 1975.
The general membership consisted mostly of American and Filipino workers employed by the many construction companies doing business in the country. When the Americans left Vietnam in 1975, the records of Saigon Lodge No. 188 went to Guam.
The lodge eventually moved to Manila, Philippines where it currently operates and continues to grow.
