TFOE PE - The Fraternal Order of the Eagles / Philippine Eagles Fraternity
Brief History
The Historic Rendezvous May 1979
THE EAGLES DAWN
They
were barely six or seven when they initially met at the Aberdeen Court,
Quezon Avenue, Quezon City. The second meeting was probably a bigger
group perhaps only thirteen of them. No clear or specific agenda was
prepared. Nothing was definite in the minds of the group except the
fixed rendezvous at the Aberdeen Court. None of them consciously knew
that the meetings they had hurriedly arrange were already the inception
of a historical rendezvous which was to eventually have some fixed
destiny in the country.
The nucleus group grew in numbers every
time it met. The original paltry nucleus was composed of Nilo H.
Raymundo, Pedro R. Balbanero, Celso P. Mariano, Cirsanto T. Saruca,
Rizal Alberto C. Nolido, Eugenio E. Llarena, Elueterio C. Dumogho, Mel
P. Samson, Lorenzo “Choc” Tolentino, Mel V. Diaz, Dominador DL. Ordenez,
Ambrocio A. Valones and Arturo Purugganan, all prominent Lion members
of District 301-D of Lions Clubs International.
For want of any
fixed agenda, the discussion during the meetings of the nucleus group
went on and on and meandered on a variety of topic and subjects.
Although free-wheeling, the discussions were serious, analytical,
perceptive and at times light and bantered.
Inevitably, they
buckled down to the implacable controversy which beleaguered Lions
District 301-D. The group fell that somewhat it had some stake in the
problem because most of its members were occupying top positions in the
Lions District. Some had expressed disappointments over the sharp
divisions among the Lions which inexorably exacerbated because their
leaders entirely failed to close ranks.
Earlier on, the group had
Nilo H. Raymundo on deck to run as District Governor of Lion District
301-D. In fact, Raymundo was to have run earlier but temporized and
postponed the seeking to another time. That time never came at all. The
events and decisions that had shaped during the meetings entirely
reversed any ambitions in the Lions organization. The group by some
unwitting strong of fate, was already deciding to chart an entirely new
but tenuous course history which brought into the offing the forming on
an indigenous service organization conceived on strong brotherhood. The
group staked their gambit and decided finally to take the historical
risk. An indigenous civic organization ideologically crafted on strong
fraternalism was soon to be born in less than a month after those series
of historic rendezvous.
THE CRITICAL CHOICE
The inexorable
decision of the nucleus group to form a Philippine-born fraternal civic
organization spread like wild fire. The civic odyssey being launched by
the group was welcomed with mixed feelings of approval, cynicism, and
skepticism. The group was undaunted
Many names were proposed for
the incipient indigenous civic organization. The first proposal was to
name the organization after the tamaraw, an indigenous wild carabao.
This did not do because the name was earlier pre-empted by another
group. Some Lions (not the nucleus group) who later joined the
Philippine civic Odessa suggested that the organization could perhaps be
named Philippine Lions presumably it was perceived that the members of
the nucleus group were all Lion members. The proposal was nonetheless
rejected because the name itself would have been conflict-laden later on
and it was the consensus of the group that it never wise to name the
organization with controversial undercurrents.
Some suggested the
name griffin which, in Greek mythology, is a creature with the head,
wings, and forelegs of an eagle the body, hind legs, and tail of a lion.
This name was likewise rejected by the group saying that the name of
the organization should not be derived from a myth but from same
reality.
Somebody proposed the name Lakan but was rejected as very parochial.
The
group thought of the Philippine Eagle, an indigenous but endangered
bird. The group’s immediate predilection for the name was visibly
palpable. The group requested Celso P. Mariano and Crisanto T. Saruca to
make a research and report as to whether or not the organization could
have been name appropriately after the bird. Within a couple of days or
so, Mariano and Saruca told the group that naming the organization after
the Philippine Eagle was very appropriate saying that the Philippine
Eagle is, after all, a majestic bird, courageous, noble and possessed
with keen foresight. The group adopted the proposed name which is now.
The Fraternal Order of Eagles (Philippine Eagles) or briefly the
Philippine Eagles.
BROTHERHOOD CONCORD
More than a mere civic
organization, The Fraternal Order of Eagles (Philippine Eagles) is a
historic brotherhood concord. The nucleus group believed that strong
fraternalism should characterize its humanitarian service. It agreed
that its guiding principle shall be SERVICE THROUGH STRONG BROTHERHOOD.
The group issued a statement to the following effect:
We have
called our organization The Fraternal Order of Eagles (Philippine
Eagles) because we have chosen as our guiding principle SERVICE THROUGH
STRONG BROTHERHOOD. The choice of the name was conscious and the idea
behind the choice of the word “fraternal” is deliberate. We should,
indeed, be brothers in service and the world “fraternal” precisely
describes the quality of our bond. This Philosophy we want to intensify
among us.
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The Philippine Eagles shall be
E – Enlightened and innovative humanitarian
A – Animated primarily by a strong bond of brotherhood and fraternal ties.
G – God-loving, non-sectarian.
L – Law-abiding, liberty-oriented, non-political.
E – Emblazed with intense mission of
S – Service to country, its people and its community.