Knighting of new members, exaltation and elevation ceremonies, and a symposium on Rizal were highlights of the Order of the Knights of Rizal Sydney Chapter’s week-long observance of the 151st birth anniversary of the Philippine national hero.
The ceremonies and symposium were held at the Philippine Consulate General’s Bulwagang Rizal. A floral offering at the Ibero-American Plaza in Sydney’s Central Station last Tuesday, June 19 – Rizal’s birthday – opened the week-long activities.
Leading in the ceremonies and symposium were Consul General Anne Jalando-on Louis, Blacktown City Council councilor Jess Diaz, KGOR, Knights ANZO Regional Commander Ric de Vera, KCR, Knights ANZO Deputy Regional Commander Bing Raña, KCR, Outgoing Sydney Chapter Commander Phillip Rañoso, KCR, Knights Sydney Chapter Commander Cesar Bartolome, Deputy Chapter Commander Max Encomienda, KOR, and Filipino educator Dr Floro Quibuyen who was symposium resource person.
The protocol of the Order of the Knights of Rizal – chartered under the Philippines’ Republic Act 646 – addresses a member knight as “Sir” with ranking in the following degrees: first degree Knight of Rizal (KR), second degree Knight Officer of Rizal (KOR), third degree Knight Commander of Rizal (KCR), fourth degree Knight Grand Officer of Rizal (KGOR), and fifth degree Knight Grand Cross of Rizal (KGCR).
Like other chapters in the Philippines and overseas, the Sydney and Australia/New Zealand/Oceania regional commands report to a Supreme Council based in Manila currently headed by Sir Regis Romero II, KGCR.
Yesterday’s ceremonies commenced with an exaltation by Sir Jess Diaz, KGOR, of Sydney Chapter Commander Bartolome to the rank of KCR who was elected as chapter commander early this year with the rank of KOR.
The ceremonies proceeded with the initiation to the Order of three new members, Consul Marford Angeles of the Philippine Consulate General in Sydney, and community leaders Peter Rudd and Alex del Prado.
Chapter Commander Bartolome, KCR, formally initiated by dubbing the new members as 1st degree Knights of Rizal. Chapter Chancellor Francis delos Santos, KOR, and Chapter Pursuivant Ralph Posadas, KOR, assisted, with Sir Francis walking the new members blindfolded into a dimly lit ceremonial hall.
Chapter Commander Bartolome, KCR, also officiated a separate ceremony elevating Emanila.com founder Romy Cayabyab to the second degree Knight Officer of Rizal.
Photos: Exaltation, Knighting and Elevation Ceremonies
In her message, Consul General Louis said that the “biggest challenge facing the Filipino community overseas and the Knights of Rizal is how to pass on to the youth and to the next generation the meaning of Rizal’s sacrifice to his country.”
She added that the community, particularly the senior members, need to look for ways on how to convey the Rizalian message through other media including comic books and modern digital technology.
Consul General Louis also reiterated that the Philippine Consulate General in Sydney is a partner of the Order in the observance of Rizal Day and his message to the Filipino people.
The Philippine Consulate General in Sydney and the Philippine Embassy in Canberra were instrumental in the establishment of the Order in Australia, according to Sir Phillip Rañoso who early in the symposium presented a brief history of the Order in Australia.
Dr Floro Quibuyen delved into an exposition of distortions and misrepresentations of Philippine historical events and into Rizal’s persona and philosophies.
Among these “historical distortions” is the erroneous historical basis of the Order of Sikatuna, said Dr Quibuyen.
The “pacto de sangre” (blood compact) basis of the Philippines’ Order of Sikatuna was the wrong “pacto de sangre” as there was a much earlier “pacto de sangre” as recorded in ancient Spanish chronicles, he argued. (Ed’s Note: The Order of Sikatuna may be considered as the equivalent of Australia’s OAM.)
The Filipino educator, who also has a degree in anthropology, also presented proofs to debunk the common public impressions that Rizal was short in height and that Rizal advocated peaceful reforms.
There are even views espoused by well-known Filipino authors and historians that Rizal’s desire to excel was a way to compensate for his lack of physical height, lamented Dr Quibuyen.
Showing copies of photos of Rizal in the company of other Filipino “illustrados” exiled in Europe, Dr Quibuyen concluded that Rizal was taller than the other Filipino personages in the photos including Marcelo H. Del Pilar who was nowhere described as short in Philippine history books. Rizal, he said, had the height of some Europeans in his era whose average height was about 5 feet 4 inches (160cm).
Dr Quibuyen also said that, contrary to accounts in Philippine history books, Rizal was not a pacifist.
Also the belief that the character Crisostomo Ibarra in “Noli Me Tangere” who advocated peaceful reform was Jose Rizal’s was another distortion, said the Filipino educator, adding that the writings of Rizal as well as the goals of La Liga Filipina which Rizal founded were similar to the advocacy of Andres Bonifacio for a revolution.
Bonifacio is known in history books as the father of Philippine Revolution.
In yesterday’s symposium, Consul General Louis also announced that the installation of a Rizal statue in Rizal Park Campbelltown is nearing completion.
Unveiling of the 5-metre statue is scheduled before the end of this year possibly in August, Consul General Louis said.
![Seated (L-R): Sir Cesar Bartolome, KCR; Sir Ric de Vera, KCR; Consul General Anne Jalando-on Louis; and Dr Floro Quibuyen. Standing (L-R): Sir Alex del Prado, KR; Sir Carlo Villadiego, KOR; Sir Jess Diaz, KGOR; Sir Bing Raña, KCR; Sir Fiel Santos, KCR; Sir Ralph Posadas, KOR; Sir Geoffrey Bernard William Little, KCR; Sir Max Encomienda, KOR; Sir Francis delos Santos, KOR; Sir Romy Cayabyab, KOR; Sir Peter Rudd, KR; Sir Ron Rañoso, KOR; Sir Consul Marford Angeles, KR; and Sir Phillip Rañoso, KCR. [click image to zoom in]](http://www.thefilipinoaustralian.com/news/wp-content/uploads/group-photo-1080.jpg "Seated (L-R): Sir Cesar Bartolome, KCR; Sir Ric de Vera, KCR; Consul General Anne Jalando-on Louis; and Dr Floro Quibuyen. Standing (L-R): Sir Alex del Prado, KR; Sir Carlo Villadiego, KOR; Sir Jess Diaz, KGOR; Sir Bing Raña, KCR; Sir Fiel Santos, KCR; Sir Ralph Posadas, KOR; Sir Geoffrey William Little, KCR; Sir Max Encomienda, KOR; Sir Francis delos Santos, KOR; Sir Romy Cayabyab, KOR; Sir Peter Rudd, KR; Sir Ron Rañoso, KOR; Sir Consul Marford Angeles, KR; and Sir Phillip Rañoso, KCR.")
Why overseas voter turnout very low
by TFA Staff - No Comment
Community group fetes ‘mums’ and ‘nanas’
by Violi Calvert - No Comment
Fil-Australian young artist in Auburn colours festival
by TFA News - 1 Comment
Sydney Uni handballers retain Oceania Club champions title
by TFA Staff - No Comment
Sydney wins game one of Super Globe qualifier
by Violi Calvert - No Comment
Global Filipinos Australia deplores ARMM election postponement
by News Adm - 28 Comments
Iglesia Ni Cristo members help in Bundaberg relief work
by TFA Staff - 17 Comments
Cen Amores is People of Australia ambassador
by TFA News - 16 Comments
Liberals select Filipinos in western Sydney
by Romy Cayabyab - 16 Comments
A Night of Good Entertainment and Disappointments
by - 15 Comments
Cesar Bartolome: Filipino advisers in Australia seek justice for Filipino-Australian “dual” murdered in PHL
Globalfilinvestor: Fil-Australian young artist in Auburn colours festival
Peter Alderton: Filipino advisers in Australia seek justice for Filipino-Australian “dual” murdered in PHLRechilda Schortz: Filipino advisers in Australia seek justice for Filipino-Australian “dual” murdered in PHLJasveer Singh Deou: Australia seeks foreign workers, but beware of illegal recruiters
About TFA Staff
A very informative article. Thanks for sharing.
Dear Sir Romy,
You have done the Order of the Knights of Rizal, NSW Chapter a great service by writing about the recent Knighting, Elevation and Exaltation Ceremonies. We are honored and proud as a family to have witnessed and participated, with Sir Peter Rudd now a proud brother Knight with you.
As our lives move forward with the times, our deep respect and love for our National Hero Dr. Jose P. Rizal,will continue to inspire and flourish with more self-study to be made and to reassure to follow and emulate what the Order of the Knights of Rizal stand for.
Allow me to congratulate the Sydney Chapter headed by the Illustrious Sir Cesar Bartolome, KOR Chapter Commander and Sir Ric de Vera, KCR- Regional Commander , ANZO, for the smooth and successful running of the day’s program.
Mabuhay! “Non Omnis Moriar”
Thanks for dropping by and for your compliments. On behalf of this website, we also thank the Order of the Knights of Rizal for giving us the opportunity to do a coverage of last Saturday’s event.
Dr. Floro Quibuyen strikes me as a “fair dinkum” academic /writer who
seems to be enjoying his retirement in Sydney. We first met him during the Celebration of the 151st Birthday of Dr. Jose P.Rizal at the Iberia-American Park near Central Station.
At the Symposium after the Knighting, Elevation and Exaltation Ceremonies of the Order of the Kights of Rizal, he was the surprise Resource Speaker.What he told us then will not be forgotten. What he showed us became an inspiring piece, picking up on a short segment of Rizal’s life with Josephine Bracken.The short film was indeed a good reminder that Dr Jose P. Rizal did have an “eye for the ladies” but at the end he married Josephine Bracken.
I look forward to buying your new book, Dr. Quiboyen.
Thank you so much for your wonderful website and excellent coverage of the Order of the Knights of Rizal activities celebrating the birth anniversary of our national hero.
Just a clarification regarding a minor point in my lecture: Note that the Order of Sikatuna was named after Sikatuna—and therefore the Pacto de Sangre between Legaspi and Sikatuna in 1565 was the basis, and indeed the right Pacto the Sangre, for the Order of Sikatuna
The error that I was correcting in my lecture referred to Section 2 of Executive Order 151, Executive Order 571 of Pres Quirino, 27 Feb 1953—which declares that “The Order of Sikatuna…commemorates the first treaty (Pacto de Sangre) between the Philippines and a foreign country…”
The fact is that the first Pacto de Sangre did not occur in 1565 but in April 1521 (44 years before the Pact of Sikatuna and Legazpi)—between Magellan and the Mazaua chief, Raja Siau
Thus, it would have been more accurate to call the award THE ORDER OF SIAU—if the point of Pres Quirino’s executive order was to commemorate the first blood compact between the Philippines and Spain.
However, I suspect that the first ever blood compact between the Philippines and a foreign country was between the Philippines and another Asian Country, most likely China—the fact is Vietnamese and Chinese traders have been trading with the natives in various Philippine islands long before the arrival of Magellan.
So if the Phil govt insists on calling the award the ORDER OF SIKATUNA—we should refrain from saying that it commemorates the “first Pacto de Sangre” between the Philippines and a foreign country, which is false.
Hi Dr Quibuyen
We quite enjoyed your lecture last Saturday. Thank you for the additional information about the “pacto de sangre” events which took place much earlier than the “pacto de sangre” relating to the Order of Sikatuna, and for pointing out where the error lies which was not detailed in our news coverage.
We look forward to more exchanges and similar symposia in the future.
Maraming salamat po,
Ka Romy