December 30 2022 - The Philippine Embassy in Korea commemorated the 126th Rizal Day with the announcement of the formation of the Knights of Rizal-Korea Chapter and a wreath-laying ceremony.

This year's Rizal Day theme is "Rizal: Alaalang Iningatan, Yaman Ngayon ng Bayan" or in English, "Rizal: Preserved Memories, Treasured Today by the Nation".

Philippine Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega led the celebration by encouraging the Filipino community in Korea to live their everyday lives imbibing the values and virtues of Dr. Jose Rizal. She likewise shared that her life motto is from the national hero, "It is a useless life that is not consecrated to a great ideal. It is like a stone wasted on the field without becoming a part of any edifice." and hoped his words will likewise inspire those present at the ceremony to "live a life of purpose, mission, and service to others".

As the program's guest of honor, Knight Grand Officer of the Knights of Rizal and current Chapter Commander of the Knights of Rizal-Foreign Service Chapter DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers' Affairs Eduardo Jose A. De Vega recited Rizal's valedictory poem, "Mi Ultimo Adios", which Rizal composed in his Fort Santiago cell and hid in a lamp. He also shared his insights on the importance and value of Jose Rizal's life and legacy in contemporary times.

Consul General Romulo Victor Israel Jr., likewise an officer of the Knights of Rizal-Foreign Service chapter, led the announcement of the long-awaited formation of the Knights of Rizal-Korea Postulant Chapter. The new members of the KOR-Korea Postulant Chapter include personnel from the Philippine Embassy and its attached agencies and Filipino academic and community leader Professor Joeffrey M. Calimag. Consul General Israel also provided a brief overview and history of the Knights of Rizal as an Order of Chivalry from the Philippines and sought the support of the audience for the Korea chapter's future official activities.

To end the program, Dr. Jeom Suk Yeon, an esteemed academic who completed her doctoral studies at the University of the Philippines and translated Dr. Jose Rizal's "Mi Ultimo Adios" into Korean, read a poem about Rizal and the Philippines written by Korean poet Cho Byung-Hwa in 1978. The commemoration was likewise attended by Filipino academics and teachers belonging to the Association of Filipio Educators in Korea (AFEK). Embassy officers and guests also paid tribute to the life and legacy of Dr. Jose Rizal by offering remembrance wreaths and flowers during the ceremony.

The Knights of Rizal-Korea Postulant Chapter hopes to become a full-fledged Chapter by having its new members conferred knighthood by mid-2023. END