RIYADH, 31 January 2004 — Twelve Philippine schools in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Abu Dhabi and Oman started the three-day First OKOR Inter-School Talents, Skills and Academic Area Competition in Manama, Bahrain yesterday. The event has “The Relevance of Dr. Jose P. Rizal’s Ideals and Teachings to the Present Generation” as it’s theme.
“The event is very significant for us. Firstly, it will enable OKOR officials at the headquarters in Manila and OKOR officials and members in GCC countries to meet and get to know each other. Secondly, it will engender friendly competition among the Philippine schools in the region and enable the teachers to know each other. Thirdly, the schools’ respective students will strike up acquaintances that might blossom into friendship that will last a lifetime,” Dr. Mohd. Ali Carlito L. Astillero, laboratory services director at the Al-Mishari Hospital here, told Arab News yesterday.
Dr. Astillero said that Sir Jesus B. David, Knights Grand Commander of Rizal (KGCR) and the OKOR supreme commander, will lead a three-man team from Manila who will attend the occasion. The two others are KGCR Sir Vicente Palmon, who will deliver the inspirational talk, and KGCR Sir Harrison D. Tolosa, who will talk on what OKOR is and what its objectives are.
The participating schools from Riyadh include the Al Danah International School (ADIS), Second Philippine International School (SPIS), Riyadh International School (RIS), Nour Al Maaref International School (NIS), and Elite International School (EIS); Jeddah, International Philippine School in Jeddah (IPSJ); Al-Khobar, Al Khobar International School (AKIS); Bahrain, Philippine School in Bahrain (PSB);Oman, Pioneers International Private School (PIPS); Abu Dhabi, Philippine National School (PNS) and PISCO Private School (PISCO); and Qatar, Philippine School in Doha.
“The school that will emerge as the overall champion will take home the Perpetual Cup, and that school has only to defend it twice in the annual competition and it can keep it forever. Philippine Air Lines Country Manager Jun Ordillano has also donated three round-trip tickets from Riyadh to Manila,” he said. “The tickets will go to the winners in the ‘Battle of the Brains’ contest, ‘Young Rizal 20004’, and ‘Young Maria Clara 2004’.”
With Power Horse energy drink as sponsor, the Knights of Rizal Eastern Province Community Chapter (OKOR EPCC) headed by journalist Sir Joe Avancena plays host, in cooperation with the newly-chartered OKOR Bahrain Community Chapter, OKOR Riyadh and Jeddah community chapters.
“I thank all and sundry who have helped make the event a reality. I have been involved in many other worthy causes in the Kingdom but my OKOR involvement is something different. OKOR bolsters camaraderie and friendship among fellow overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and nurtures scholarship among the youth whom Rizal described as the ‘fair hopes of the fatherland’, “ Dr. Astillero said.