Highest Knights of Rizal rank for PRRD

THE Order of the Knights of Rizal is set to confer to President Rodrigo Duterte the highest rank they could ever give to a member.

Supreme Trustee of the Supreme Council, Assistant secretary of the Order, and Davao City Councilor Rene Elias Lopez said in an interview with Sun.Star Davao yesterday that the conferment will be held during an assembly today at the SMX Convention Center at SM Lanang Premiere.

He said Supreme Commander of the order, and former chief justice, Renato Puno will confer the award to the president.

Lopez said that Duterte is a member of the Davao City Chapter of the order whose primary mandate is to espouse life teachings and life philosophy of Rizal amongst the people especially the youth.

He said that the Knights of the Order of Rizal are congressionally created in 1951 to introduce partriotism and nationalism among Filipinos.

The assembly will be composed of 450 participants from all over the world including representatives from Middle East, United States, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

Lopez added that among the primary topics that will be discussed in the assembly is the connection of Rizal to Federalism.

"The point is that we believe in the order that it was Dr. Jose Rizal who said that the Philippines is on its path to greatness [and] as a nation [it] must embrace Federalism," Lopez said.

He said that tackling Federalism is historical as they believe that Federalism is the system of government that Dr. Jose Rizal wishes the Filipinos to have.

"This is what Doctor Rizal had wanted us to do a hundred years ago. It only shows his genius. He is truly our greatest national hero," Lopez said. KVC