Consul Von Ryan Pangwi, KR, represented the Philippine Consulate General as guest speaker at the Knights of Rizal Texas Area Command’s Commanders’ Ball on Nov. 16.
In his remarks, Consul Pangwi discussed Dr. José Rizal’s role in history and said Rizal’s ideas remain relevant to Filipinos in the Philippines and abroad.
The event included the elevation of Sir Benjamin Ongoco, a founder of the Texas Area Command, to the rank of Knight Grand Cross of Rizal (KGCR). The program also featured a new bust of José Rizal created through the work of artist and sculptor Fritz C. Silorio.
The Knights of Rizal, or Orden de Caballeros de Rizal, is a civic organization chartered under Republic Act 646 in 1951. The group promotes Rizal’s principles of patriotism, integrity, and public service and maintains chapters in multiple countries, including the Texas Area Command.