PRESS RELEASE The Council of Filipino Organization of Arizona (CFO-AZ) and the Knights of Rizal of Arizona (KORAZ) Enters into Partnership to Commemorate Rizal Day By Tom Rodriguez May 5, 2025 is a historic and a remarkable day to remember among Filipinos residing in Arizona. It was on this day when CFO-AZ and KORAZ entered a partnership to sponsor and commemorate a momentous occasion known globally as Rizal Day (Dec. 30th). At a meeting held at Lutong Bahay Filipino Store and Restaurant on May 5, 2025, Sir Leo Aromin, KCR past chairperson of CFO-AZ in 2014 made a motion to accept the proposal presented by Sir Jun Saez, KGOR of an annual State-Wide Fil-Am event which will be known annually as Rizal Day Gala Night. The motion was approved unanimously by the member organizations of CFO-AZ, along with representatives from the KORAZ Chapter in attendance at the meeting. The partnership between the Council of Filipino Organization and Knights of Rizal of Arizona to commemorate Rizal Day is a testament to the enduring legacy of Dr. Jose Rizal. Through their collaboration efforts, they not only honor a national hero but also promote Filipino reminder of the importance of unity, education, and pride in one’s heritage, ensuring that Dr. Rizal’s contributions continue to inspire future generations, culture, history, and values within the community. The Annual Rizal Day Gala Night in Arizona will be held every December 30th (the Saturday closes to the date). The 1st event will be held on December 27, 2025, Saturday. The event is open to the public, and formal attire is required: black suit, tuxedo, barong, Filipiniana, or a black Nehru suit for the Knights of Rizal. The event will be held in a grand ballroom located in Phoenix's metropolitan area, with the exact venue to be determined. The group decided that the Rizal Day Gala Night will be purely for entertainment and relaxation, without any fundraising activities. Sir Jun Saez, KGOR former chapter commander of the Arizona Knights of Rizal (AZKOR) in a Power Point presentation asked the question, “So, why the KORAZ chapters consisting of the Arizona Knights of Rizal (AZKOR), Knights of Rizal East Valley (KOREV), Goodyear Knights of Rizal (GKOR), and Knights of Rizal White Mountain Arizona (KORWMAZ), and the CFO-AZ shall sponsor this remarkable event?” He explained that as to the Knights of Rizal of Arizona chapters (KORAZ), this is an adherence to the Knights of Rizal mandate to commemorate Dr. Jose Rizal martyrdom every year as prescribed by Republic Act 646 passed by the Philippine Congress on June 14, 1951. The purposes of KOR under Republic Act 646 are to promote patriotism and unity among Filipinos, to spread the teachings of Dr. Jose Rizal, to organize annual festivities in honor of Dr. Rizal, to hold programs commemorating Rizal’s nativity and martyrdom (Dec. 30th). As to the participation of CFO-AZ as a co-sponsor, Sir Jun Saez, further elucidated that CFO-AZ, as the umbrella organization of Fil-Am organizations in Arizona, shall take this event as another opportunity to further unify and nurture closer cooperation among the Filipino organizations in Arizona. The CFO-AZ can effectively share event information through its member organizations. The incumbent chairperson of CFO-AZ is Fleur Magbanua of F Magazine. According to the record of Ethel Luzario – Smith the following individuals served as chairpersons of CFO-AZ, namely : Cynthia Vilar (2004), Bea Chavez (2005-2008), Rick Nagaran (2011), Marie Cunning (2012 -2013), Leonardo Aromin (2014), James Campbell, MD (2015-2016 ), Red Espiritu, MD (2017), Ethel Luzario (2018-2019), Alma de Garriz (2020-2021), Jennifer Lewis (2022), Jennifer Facto Aquino (2023), and Charmel De La Cruz (2024). The active members organizations of CFO-AZ are ABAKA Foundation , Alpha Phi Omega Alumni Association of Arizona (APO ARIZONA), Alpha Phi Omega Metrop Phoenix Alumni Association (APO METRO PHOENIX AA), Arizona Knights of Rizal (AZKOR), Arizona State University Philippine American Student Association (ASU PASA), Bayanihan Fil-Am Club of Tucson, Bisaya Filipino Social Club of Arizona (BFSC-AZ), Filipino American Asian Business Chamber of Commerce of Arizona (FABCCA MAIN), Filipino American Asian Business Chamber of Commerce of Arizona (FABCCA WEST), Filipino American Asian Business Chamber of Commerce of Arizona (FABCCA EAST), Filipino American Marriage Group of Arizona (FAMAZ), Filipino American National Historical Society of Arizona (FANHS-AZ), Filipino American Nurses Organization of Grand Canyon State (FANOGCS), Filipino American Nurse Practitioners of Arizona (FANPAZ), F MAGAZINE, Filipino Club of Arizona (FCA), Filipino Catholic Community at Our Lady of the Valley (FCC/OLV), Glendale Professionals & Healthcare Associates Lions Club (GPHALC), Ilongo Sa Arizona (ISA), Island Girls, Leysam of Arizona, Metro Phoenix Cooking Masters Lions Club (MPCMLC), National Federation of Filipino American Association Arizona Chapter (NaFFAA), Phoenix Asian American Lions Club (PAALC), Philippine American Chamber of Commerce of Arizona (PACCA), Phoenix Barangay Lions Club (PBLC), Phoenix Phil-Am Lions Club (PPALC), Phoenix Rainbow Lions Club (PRLC), Philippine Nurses Association of Arizona (PNAAZ), Phoenix One World Global Artists Lions Club (POWGALC), Samahang Bayanihan of Arizona (SBA), and The 3000 Club). Sir Romeo “Joey” Balasta, KGOR is the chapter commander of the Arizona Knights of Rizal (AZKOR, INC.). The chapter commander of the Knights of Rizal East Valley (KOREV) is Sir Arnel Morales, KCR. Sir Alex Hernandez, KCR is the chapter commander of the Goodyear Knights of Rizal (GKOR), while Sir Allan Del Rosario, KCR is the chapter commander of the Knights of Rizal White Mountain Arizona (KORWMAZ). Sir Mario Binarao, KCR is the Area Commander for Western USA, and Sir Robert Nobis, KCR is the Deputy Area Commander for Western USA. Sir Dr. James Campbell , KGOR is the Deputy Regional Commander of Western USA.

                 Pls click on the images to view in full size.

              

            

               

             .

             

                       

                   

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~