ROMULO M. CAPUNO
Email: pgc2022@vatemplars.com
Grand Commander
2022-2023

Romulo Magnaye Capuno also known as Romi M. Capuno to many of us was from a small town in the Philippines called Mabini about 2 1/2 hours from Manila. The town of Mabini got it’s name from a very famous man, his name is Apolinario Mabini who is the first Prime Minister of the Philippines and a member of Logia Balagtas No. 149 under the Grande Oriente Espanol, a fellow Freemason. WB Romi M. Capuno was born in September 1958 in Mabini, Batangas, Philippines. He studied high school in Mabini Junior College in his hometown and went to college in Manila in Far Eastern University where he was a undergraduate in B.S. Chemistry. Unfortunately, before he could finish his college career Romi and his brother had to leave his country to migrate to United State of America in the late 70’s.

He is the second youngest son of Leoncia M. Capuno and Nicolas B. Capuno (both deceased 2014/2009) WB Romi M. Capuno has three brothers, all of whom are Brothers in Freemasonry.

He also had one older sister who passed away in 1986. RW Romi is married to Grace Eva Edejer, Past Worthy Matron and a member of Nellie Custis Chapter No. 169, Order of the Eastern Star, a member of Fredericksburg Assembly No. 266, Social Order Of the Beauceant. They have four children, Methoshael, Mark Theodore, Michelle Ashley, and Misha Alyssa. All the kids have graduated college and are married, except the youngest daughter, Misha Alyssa, who is currently taking up another college course. RW Romi is also a grandfather of two grandsons (Logan & Theo), one from each of his two oldest children, Methoshael & Mark Theodore. His two youngest daughters, Michelle Ashley & Misha Alyssa, were both Past Honored Queens of Job’s Daughters International (JDI) in Virginia. Misha Alyssa was a Past Miss Job’s Daughter of Virginia (2015) and was an officer of Virginia’s Grand Bethel, as well as an officer of JDI’s Supreme Bethel. She was Chartered Worthy Advisor of the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls Assembly No. 14, Springfield, VA and past officer in Virginia’s Grand Assembly.

RW Romi M. Capuno began his Masonic career in 1994, petitioning Springfield Lodge No. 217 in Springfield, VA and was raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason on June 1995. He served as Worshipful Master in 2008; in the same year he received the Noah Hillman Award from the Grand Lodge of Virginia. The year 2022 he was the DDGM for Masonic District 1B of the Grand Lodge of Virginia. He affiliated to Fort Hunt Skidmore Daytime Lodge No. 363 in 2005. RW Romi is also a Chartered Member of Maynilad Lodge No. 1521 in the District of Columbia.

He was exalted to the Royal Arch Masons in 2006 by being a member of the Arlington Royal Arch Chapter No. 35 and served as their High Priest in 2010 and on the same year he received the Robert Claiborne Wilson Award. A year later 2011. he served as District Deputy Grand High Priest of Capitular District No. 1 and this Capitular year he is the Grand Steward of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Virginia.

He was knighted as a Knight Templar in Arlington Commandery No, 29, he served as Eminent Commander from 2011 to 2012 and served as District Deputy Grand Commander of Chivalric District No. 3, 2015 to 2016. He was invested Knight Commander of the Temple (KCT) a Grand Encampment Award in 2019 Grand Conclave of KT of Virginia. Just this past Grand Conclave he was elected and installed to the Grand Commandery Line as currently the Right Eminent Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery of the Knights Templar of Virginia.

REGC Romi is also a member of Triangle Council No. 3 of Cryptic Masons of the District of Columbia, where he served as Illustrious Master in 2013. After his term, he was awarded with the Ish Sodi Award an Illustrious Grand Master of Excellence Award. In 2015 the General Grand Council of Cryptic Mason International awarded WB Romi the highest honor you can have ” The Companion of the Secret Vault.”

RW Romi joined the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite in the valley of Alexandria Scottish Rite in 2003. For about five year he is a member of the 28th Degree Cast Team. He served as Master of Kadosh of the Alexandria Consistory in 2016. He was invested the Knight Commander of the Court of Honour ( KCCH) on September 30, 2017.

In addition to his regular Masonic affiliations he holds membership in various Honorary and Invitational Bodies of Masonry, Member of Rose of Sharon Priory No. 2, Convent General (KYCH); Life Member of Virginia Council No. 12, Knight Masons, he is a Past Excellent Chief;

Nova Vita Tabernacle No. 73, Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priest (HRAKTP), Member of Shenandoah Conclave, Red Cross of Constantine (RCC; Member of Washington and Lee No. 93, York Rite Sovereign College of North America (YRSCNA)Past Governor, Associate Regent.

OPC; Member of Lord Fairfax Council No. 90, Allied Masonic Degree (AMD)Past Sovereign Master in 2012; Member of Royal Order of Scotland since 2009; Member of Virginia Chapter Sovereign Order of the Knight Preceptor since 2012; Member of the Knight of Shiloam; Member of the Grand Council of Annointed High Priests; Member of the Grand Council of the Thrice Illustrious Masters; Member of the Grand Council of Super Excellent Masters; Member of Cornelius J. Van Aalts, Jr. Memorial Class, Honorary DeMolay: Member of Frank S. Land Centennial Fellow of the Supreme Council Order of DeMolay of the Republic of the Philippines; Past Patron of Nellie Custis No. 169, Order of the Eastern Star (OES). Past Grand Junior Custodian of the Grand Guardian Council of Virginia Job’s Daughters; Past Associate Bethel Guardian of Bethel No. 1 Arlington, JDI; Past Associate Grand Bethel Guardian of the Grand Bethel of Job’s Daughters International in Virginia and Past Chairman of the Advisory Board of Springfield/ Assembly No. 14, IORG. Member of the Advisory Board of Woodlawn Chapter of DeMolay.

Steadfast to the lessons learned from Masonic teachings, he endeavors to be of service to mankind. He is a member and Past President of Alexandria Asian American Lions Club of the Lions Club International. He is an Honorary member of both Rotary and Kiwanis International .

RW Romi was the Chairman of the Board of the Travelers of Washington DC Foundation International Inc. He was the Vice-President of the Travelers of Washington, DC.

He is very active in their own foundation the Lifeline International Foundation Inc. as the Vice President and Mission Coordinator providing medical, dental and surgical missions to his native land, the Philippines every year for approximately 20 years.

You don’t have to make a lifetime commitment to make a difference for a lifetime….

MASONIC LEADERSHIP

• Grand Representative of the Grand Chapter of the Philippines near the Grand Chapter of Virginia 2015 to present
• Grand Representative of the Grand Commandery of the Philippines near the Grand Commandery of Virginia 2016 to present
• Grand Representative of the Grand Council of the Philippines near the Grand Council of the District of Columbia 2016
• Chairman on Committee on Bylaws 2014 of the Grand Council of District of Columbia
• Chairman on Committee on Correspondence 2017 of the Grand Council of District of Columbia
• Co-Chairman on 2023 Bicentennial Celebration Committee of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Virginia
• Member of the Committee on Citizenship and Public Affairs of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Virginia
• Past Associate Bethel Guardian of Bethel No. I Arlington, VA of Job’s Daughters International
• Past Grand Junior Custodian of the Grand Guardian Council of Virginia of Job’s Daughters International
• Grand Associate Bethel Guardian of Virginia of Job’s Daughters International for several years
• Chairman of Advisory Board of Springfield Assembly No. 14 of International Order of Rainbow for Girls
• Grand Outer Guard of the Grand Guardian Council of Virginia Job’s Daughters International 2023

AWARDS

• James Noah Hillman Award 20018 from the Grand Lodge of Virginia
• Robert Clairborne Wilson Award 2010 from the Grand Chapter of RAM of Virginia
• Ish Sodi Award 2014 is the highest Honor given to the Most Outstanding Companion by the Grand Council of District of Columbia
• Companion of the Secret Vault Award 2015 is the highest Honor given by the General Grand Council of Cryptic Mason’s International
• Knights of the York Cross of Honour (KYCH), First Filipino Mason in the TriState Area to be inducted to this August Body. The highest Honor in York Rite Freemasonry. To be considered to this honor you had presided over on all four bodies of York Rite with distinction. This honor is from the Convent General of KYCH
• Knight Commander Cross of Honour (KCCH) Elected 2017, Investiture September 2017 Given by Alexandria Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction
• Medal of Appreciation May 2017 from the Virginia DeMolay, DeMolay International
• Order of the Purple Cross (OPC) York Rite Sovereign College of North America – 2018
• Legion of Honor (LOH) Supreme Council DeMolay International – 2022