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The history of the Order of the Knights of Rizal goes back to December 30, 1911 when Colonel Antonio C. Torres organized a group of 9 men from different walks of life for the purpose of commemorating in a fitting manner the execution and martyrdom of the Philippines’ foremost national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal. Thereafter, year after year, the same group would gather to celebrate the birth and commemorate the death of Dr. Jose Rizal. During Rizal Day celebrations, this group would be seen conspicuously on horseback reminiscent of the knights of old known for their chivalry and exemplary life.

To provide a continuing entity and to encourage others to join them, these admirers of Dr. Rizal on November 16, 1916, organized a private non-stock corporation and named it the “Orden de Caballeros de Rizal.” The incorporators of the corporation were: Antonio C. Torres, Juan Flameño, Martin P. de Veyra, Jose A. del Barrio and Jose S. Galvez.

Colonel Antonio C. Torres, who before the last war was Chief of Police of Manila, was the first Supreme Commander. The following have since then been Supreme Commanders of the Order: Martin P. de Veyra, Manuel Lim, Juan F. Nakpil, Herminio Velarde, Teodoro Evangelista, Hernenegildo B. Reyes, Santiago F. de la Cruz, Jesus E. Perpiñan, Vitaliano Bernardino, Jose Ma. Paredes Claudio Teehankee, Jose S. Laurel III  Justo P. Torres, Jr., David Palmon, Carmelo T. Gempesaw, Jose D. Lina, and Hilario G. Davide, Jr.

In 1951 the Supreme e Council of the Order created a Committee on Legislation for the purpose of studying the feasibility of filing a bill in the Congress of the Philippines to be enacted into law to enable the Order to secure a legislative charter. Justice Roman Ozaeta was the Chairman of the Committee with Sirs Carlos Hilado and Pedro Sabido as members.

The bill seeking to give the Order of the Knights of Rizal a legislative charter was docketed as Senate Bill No. 251, with then Senators Enrique Magalona, Lorenzo Sumulong, Esteban Abada, Emiliano Tria Tirona, Camilo Osias, Geronima Pecson, Jose Avelino and Ramon Torres as sponsors. In the lowerhouse, Congressman Manuel Zosa of Cebu was the principal sponsor of the measure. The explanatory note of the Bill read as follows:

“The purpose of the attached bill is to accord to’ the civic and patriotic organization known as “Orden’ de Caballeros de Rizal” (Order of the Knights of Rizal) the same kind of official recognition and encourage-ment as that accorded to the Boy Scouts of the Philippines by Commonwealth Act No. 111, by grant-ing to it a legislative Charier and investing ‘it with the necessary powers to enable it more fully and more effectively to accomplish the laudable purposes for which it was organized.”

” This Bill if enacted into law will also serve as a historical monument to Rizal; it will constitute an official recognition by the Republic of the Philippines of the inestimable value to the nation of his teachings and examples and of the wisdom and necessity of inculcating them in the minds and -hearts of our people so they may strive to follow and practice them. The authors and proponents of this Bill believe that if the purposes thereof are faithfully and effectively carried out, social discipline, civic virtues, and love of justice will be fostered, promoted, ‘and enhanced in this country, and that the Knights of Rizal as chartered entity is the most convenient instrumentality by which these desirable ends can be attained’. Let Rizal’s life and martyrdom influence and guide the destiny of the nation. Let this and future generations live the Rizal Way. ”

Recommended for approval on May 15, 1951, the measure was, signed into law by the President of the Philippines on June 14, 1951, becoming Republic Act 646.

Charter members in 1928

Since 1951 the membership grew within the Philippines and a number of chapters were established all over the country. More than thirty years later the overseas Filipinos who found new residences in North America, Australia, Europe and the Middle East began to internationalize the organization. This should have been a period of adjustment to what originally was intended to flourish only within the jurisdictional boundaries of the Philippines - a fraternal brotherhood for Filipinos only in the Philippines. The founders obviously did not foresee the coming diaspora of Filipinos particularly during the seventies, eighties and the nineties.  The leadership in Manila somehow failed to recognize that the influence of Rizal reached out to non-Filipinos and that the rapidly changing world would have a dramatic impact upon the organization.

The explosion of the information and communications technology caught the leadership by surprise such that in the early 2000s the impact of the leadership crisis in the Philippines (with two claimants to being the legitimate Chairman of the Board/Supreme Commander) opened a pandora’s box for all the world to see. The advent of the internet and email exposed the shortcomings of the appropriate corporate structure and the ills of the traditional Filipino style of management that is reflective of the Filipino mentality. The refusal of the succeeding leadership to face up to the reality that the Order is technically obsolete and culturally immature paved the way for a wave of controversial issues that led to fragmentation of overseas chapters and the breakaway of discontented and frustrated illustrious members that included such luminaries as the grandson of Ferdinand Blumentritt and the grandson of Pastor Hack Ullmer. Both were close personal friends of Jose Rizal.

The creation of the International Federation of Knights of Rizal in 2008 represents the ultimate attempt by overseas members to restore the tarnished image and the lost honor and dignity of the once noble organization.

Copyright 2008 International Federation of Knights of Rizal

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