Arizona Knights of Rizal
 
News & Events

               August 2024 

          

 

           Arizona Knights of Rizal Launches A Huge Community Project

Sunday, August  25, 2024 is a memorable day to remember. 

The Arizona Knights of Rizal, commonly known as AZKOR - under the sterling leadership of 

Sir Frandioben “Jun” Saez, KCR,  a former chapter commander, and Sir Romeo “Joey: Balasta,

KCR, incumbent chapter commander of AZKOR – spearheaded the Marcelito Pomoy Arizona

USA Concert held at the Higley Center for the Performing Arts in Gilbert, Arizona. 


The concert was produced by Zone 35, LLC – the President and CEO of which is Sir Jun Saez,

KCR.  He studied Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree at Utica University; studied College of

Physical Therapy at De la Sale University – Health Science Campus.

The grand performance of Marcelito Pomoy, the internationally renowned artist with the magical

dual voice, is currently the hottest Filipino pride in the world stage. The original 250 tickets were

sold in two weeks necessitating a change of venue  and his recently concluded concert was close  

to 600 attendees. Many attendees sent congratulations to Sir Dr. Jun Saez, and one of them is

Cirilo Medrano, who said, "Congratulations Zone 35…the best concert I had attended…very

organized, almost on time, versatile  performer Pomoy..lahat nag enjoy (everyone enjoyed) …

all positive reviews from friends…sulit and bayad,” (the fee is worth it.)
    

Rizza G. Ditchella, President of Philippine Nurses Association of Arizona (PNAAZ) said, “Just

watched Marcelito Pomoy’s show. His voice is really one of a kind! Congratulations and thank you

Zone 35 Jun Saez for a great show!!” 
    

Another PNAAZ President for 2008-2010, Macbeth Torno  also commented, “Good show, good

company, Bonga all the way. A magical voice. The Marcelito Pomoy Live performance in Arizona

was a big success. Super proud of you Marcelito and wife Joan, stay grounded & humble. Our

local talents namely Audrey Aguilar, MaBing Chaves Navarro, Maribeth Pascua did not

disappoint us either. Awesome job Zone 35 Productions.”


Sir Rudy Sanchez KOR,  Deputy Pursuivant has commented, “This is the best concert I have

ever attended.”
  
 Rhia Luz of Buhay Buhay of America also said, “Well done Dr. Jun Saez. I love how you said -  

it will be a concert with value, and you truly delivered it! Watching all the performances and

Marcelito Pomoy sing, joe and his own sharing of his life story and challenges were the main

value in Gold of this concert! You chose the perfect inaugural concert and the vision for the

beneficiaries of your concert was even more valuable!” 
    

“Marcelito is a good entertainer, very charming fellow and has a very good stage presence –

was very friendly with the audience,”  Sir Rene Borromeo, a former AZKOR Chancellor,

commented.
 

Another attendees, Sir Alex Hernandez, chapter commander of Goodyear Knight of Rizal

(GKOR)   said, “I like it, there is so much fun. Marcelito tried to relate to everybody with

his jokes.” 
 

How did this enormous project come into being?  It started with a vision. Sir Jun Saez went

home to the Philippines to visit his hometown Buhi, Camarines Sur.  His father, Benjamin

R. Saez, KGCR founded the Buhi Knight  of  Rizal and became the first chapter commander,

and later on the first Area Commander of Camarines Sur.   Sir Benjamin Saez translated Dr.

Jose Rizal’s  Mi Ultimo Adios into the Buhi dialect, Ultimo Kong Pate-ed. This poem translation  

was engraved on a marble on  one side of Dr. Jose Rizal statue. Due to weather changes, the

marble needs to be rehabilitated and renovated and changed to brass inscription just like the

Rizal monument in Luneta and in Madrid. 
 

Sir Joey Balasta, KCR, incumbent chapter commander of AZKOR, met Sir Jun Saez,

KCR in Buhi and took pictures of the Buhi Rizal Park, in its present condition with Sir Jun Saez

explaining the replica of the lamparilla where Rizal  hide and left the untitled poem, which later

on came to be known as Mi  Ultimo Adios, and translated to My Last Farewell in English. Then,  

Sir Joey featured the video presentation in his Joey Balasta Channel USA.
    

The Book of Life says, “Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their toil.”

The vision of Sir Jun to have a project  to beautify the Buhi Rizal Park for better public usage  -

followed by a determination to raise funds  to achieve  this noble goal - came the idea of presenting

it to the Arizona Knights of Rizal – as one of its objectives  to accomplish. In one of AZKOR’S

monthly meetings,  the members approved  the motion to be involved in this particular project,

and Sir Dr, James Campbell, KGOR  Deputy Regional Commander for Western USA immediately

volunteered to be one of the Diamond Sponsors, followed by Sir Judge Tom D. Rodriguez, KGCR,

and Lady Fe M. Rodriguez, as one of the Bronze Sponsors.

During the intermission,  the short visual presentation of the  history of the Arizona Knights of  Rizal

(AZKOR, INC.) that was prepared by Lady Ma. Trinidad “Matic” and Sir Joey Balasta was shown

to the audience.    

From the Knights of Rizal perspective, Sir Jun Saez was inspired to rehabilitate the Ultimo Adios

shrine of Dr. Rizal in Buhi Municipal Park due to the legacy of his Knight Grand Cross of Rizal

father left behind. This project produced by Zone 35 Productions in cooperation with the Arizona

Knights of Rizal is indeed a remarkable success.
 

Sir Judge Tom Rodriguez

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