No Philippine statute has ever directly named Jose Rizal the country’s national hero, and the Knights of Rizal (KOR) want Congress to close that gap. The fraternal order argues that while generations of Filipinos have treated Rizal as the nation’s foremost patriot, that standing rests on popular sentiment rather than any explicit legal declaration.
According to KOR Supreme Commander Emmanuel Calairo, the recognition grew out of public movements between 1898 and 1902. That groundswell, he said, prompted the Philippine Commission to pass Act 345, which set Dec. 30 each year as Rizal Day and made it an official public holiday.
“Dr. Jose Rizal became our national hero only by virtue of public acclamations and not by a specific law,” Calairo said.
The measure the group is endorsing would build on Republic Act 646, the 1951 statute that established the Knights of Rizal, by adding a formal declaration of Rizal’s hero status.
Alongside the legislative push, the KOR has launched a country-wide program of orientation seminars, workshops, and public forums meant to deepen appreciation of Rizal’s writings, philosophy, and advocacies while fostering nationalism and patriotism. Calairo said the effort, which started June 14, places particular emphasis on reaching young Filipinos and conveying Rizal’s conviction that the youth are the “future of the nation.”
