ALKHOBAR — An academic competition is being planned for January, pitting Filipino schools not only in the Kingdom but all over the Gulf area. The group behind the plan, the Order of the Knights of Rizal (OKOR), said the contest will be held in Bahrain.
Isagani Manalo, one of the advisers of the OKOR chapter in the Eastern Province, said that more Filipino schools in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and host Bahrain have already expressed their interest to join the competition. Filipino schools in Kuwait and Oman will also participate for the first time, he said.
This year’s Inter-School Talents, Skills and Academic Area Competition, also held in Bahrain, was topped by Alkhobar Asian International School (AAIS).
The school also garnered three individual championship trophies won by Jian Wasawas as Young Jose Rizal, Ciara Joyce Agustin Buot as Young Maria Clara, and Pearl Joyce Malagapo in the On-the-Spot Drawing Contest.
Last weekend, Minister Counselor and Consul General Mariano Dumia of the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh inducted the new set of officers of the OKOR Eastern Province Chapter.
Dumia lauded the initiative of the organization in propagating the teachings of Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippine national hero, not only to Filipino students through this area-wide competitions but also to OFWs in the Middle East.
Also present during the ceremony was Dr. Carlito Astillero, OKOR head for the Middle East and Africa chapters, and some members from OKOR Riyadh.
The new EP officers are Alberto Layag, chapter commander; Richard Joseph, deputy chapter commander; Reynaldo Diaz, chancellor; Leon Latonero, exchequer; Zane Thirwall, pursuivant; Richard White, archivist; Manuel Leonardo, auditor; and trustees Elias Bonite, Jaime Baguio, and Rolando Tuzara.
Aside from Manalo, the members of the advisory council are Eduardo Malagapo, Jose Avance?a, Ramon Sawit and Dexter Tugbang.
Five new members were also knighted and welcomed to the group. They were Delfin Lumberio, Rafaelito Beltran, Jose Velasquez, Oscar Paraiso and Serafin Taban.
OKOR’s leaders say Filipinos need to emulate Rizal’s teachings if the Philippines is to prosper as a nation.
Educated in Spain, France and Germany, Rizal belonged to a well-to-do family who could have just relaxed and enjoyed the good life. But he chose to stand up against the Spanish colonizers and fight for reforms, putting himself and his family under persecution despite his refusal to endorse armed revolution. He was executed on Dec. 30, 1896 in what is now the Rizal Park in Manila.
The irony is that while Rizal is considered as one of the greatest Malays in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, some Filipinos try to belittle his heroism.