Seventy-three-year-old from Mount Druitt in the western suburbs, Danilo [Danny] Peralta is well known to the Fil-Aus community in his position of Area Commander - Eastern Australia Area 1 - ANZO Region with the rank Knight Grand Officer of Rizal .Knight Grand Officer of Rizal (of KGOR, second highest rank in the Knights of Rizal organisation), the founding President of the Tagalog Association of Australia and veteran Balagtasan poet.
On September 19, 2021 Danny made history by being the first overseas candidate from ANZO region since the start of the Knights of Rizal in Australia almost 45 years ago to be elected to a formal election as local candidate to the Supreme Council.
Sir Danny Peralta, his 'official' KOR salutation, won a seat in the KOR Supreme Council in the live virtual General Assembly and Election participated by KOR members and officers and watched as well by the public worldwide. He is one of eight KOR officials elected to hold a position in the KOR Supreme Council for two years, during the period of 1 December 2021 to 1 December 2023.
The Australian Filipina and the Kababaihang Rizalista Inc. congratulate Sir Danny on this wonderful achievement which reflects well on the KOR members and the rest of the Filipinos in Australia and in Oceania. TAF is glad to share Sir Danny's responses to questions about the election and his position in KOR Supreme Court.
*What was the process wherein you got elected in the Knights of Rizal Supreme Council?
Out of the 17 local candidates where I was one of the candidates, from which they will only select the top 8 positions to be included as part of the Board of Trustees to the Supreme Council. I was able to garnered the 8th position with a margin of 1 vote over the nearest 9th candidate. Right after the results was announced and the eight winning candidates have been declared together with an overseas representative to make the total board of trustees members to nine members, we immediate convened with the presence of the all nine winning candidates in the presence of the outgoing Supreme Commander Sir Elihu Ybanez who presided the meeting to elect the different position within the Supreme Council.
I was nominated and eventually elected to become the Supreme Auditor. The composition of the Board who were elected are :- five Filipino local members with one Italian born but lives in the Philippines and three overseas composed of myself Sir Danny Peralta, KGOR representing the ANZO Region, Australia; Sir Ferdinand Dean Suba, KGCR representing the Eastern USA and one overseas representative Sir Meliton Garraton, KGOR from Texas USA Region.
*What does being elected in the position mean to you?
I am expecting that if ever I will win the slot to be one of the member of the Board of Trustees to the Supreme Council I will aim for the position either as Supreme Exchequer or Supreme Auditor.
I was nominated and elected as Supreme Auditor which suited me very well having a background in Commercial Accounting as CPA.
*What are your plans to do / achieve in this position?
The only mission and objectives to accomplish in my position of Supreme Auditor are three things:-
1) establish policies and procedures
2) implement and introduce accounting and auditing manual to serve as a guide in the finalisation of reports and be able to fully computerise the financial account.
3) Introduce proper budgeting which will serve as a guide to the board of trustees of the SC so we can deliver transparencies and proper reporting with full reconciliation to our KoR members worldwide.
*What / who inspired you to join the KOR and remained active in the organisation right up to now?
Actually, it is just by accident that I joined the Knights of Rizal. There was an initial offer to me by Sir Philip Ranoso, KGOR who was then the Regional commander of ANZO. I was not able to commit at that time as I was just recently retired from commercial employment as accountant and would like to establish my footings on what to do as you temporarily retire. This is also the start of me connecting again with Filipino community although I live at that time at the Eastern Suburbs. It rekindles my intention when I was elected as treasurer of PCC and we were practising regodon and being one of the participants and an officer I met Sir Cesar Bartolome, KGOR who was then the chapter commander of Knights of Rizal at that time sometimes in 2012.
I didn't have any idea about the KOR organisation at that time and I made a challenge with Sir Cesar that I will join the Knights of Rizal if he also join my Tagalog Association of Australia where I was the founding President. And the rest is history now. I joined the Knights of Rizal in 2013 and was elected as Deputy Chapter Commander until they elected me to become the Chapter Commander the following 2014 and the rest is history.
*What things /projects do you hold fondly as your achievements in KOR?
I think the most satisfying and fruitful project that I was involved with the Knights of Rizal is when we organized together with Sir Cesar the first ANZO regional conference which has become so successful and we were able to enhance and invite some of the old stalwart members of the KOR who have been inactive for many years rejoining the organisation to name a few; Sir Bob Alipalo, Sir Tom Baena and others.
Of course the showing of Cabesang Tales as a play boosted a big crowd and has gained accolades not only from our consulate but from HE Ambassador Calguian Cruz who inspired us to continue this kind of work for the community. Other projects that also gained prominence is the installation of the life size bust of JPR in bronze at Rooty Hill which we unveiled during the regional conference in November 2018.
*What do you envision for ANZO KOR?
Now that we have established the good foundation of the core of the ANZO especially the expansion we are doing in NSW where we created more chapters, these has gained so much confidence and enthusiasm to many of our members to become cohesive and participating to the noble cause and projects we are doing collectively for the Knights of Rizal.
*What message do you have to the young people or invitation to them to join.
It is important that we should invite the youth to join the Knights of Rizal through our youth organisation called Kabataang Pangarap ni Rizal or KAPARIZ which can be participated by young XYZ generations so we can share with them the value of patriotism, humanism and education. These are the three pillars of JPR that he always share to all youth to be able to understand the real patriotism through learning of history the sacrifices of our forefathers including our heroes like Bonifacio, Rizal, Mabini etc that they have given their lives for the sake of our freedom.
In our organisation we also share the value of fellowship, camaraderie that we are all the same as mandated by our order through RA 646 that our organisation the Knights of Rizal is a civic organisation emulating the deed and noble works of our national hero Dr Jose P. Rizal and being a non racial, non sectarian, non political organisation with emphasis on humanism with social justice, patriotism and proper education. Our services we are providing is a calling so we can offer the best we can for the betterment of our lives especially the youth.
*What other comments you wish to make which are not covered above?
I will end with one of JPR quote which says “ What is the use of independence if the slaves of today will be the tyrants of tomorrow. “ unquote. All he wish was for all the Filipino people to be given the chance to tap that potential in all their undertakings and for that he has earned his right place as a symbol of what a Filipino can do in one short lifetime.
Musings of a Knight of Rizal interview by Ohio, USA based, Sir Alwyn Galela, KGOR which was undertaken after Sir Danilo was elected in the Board of Trustees to the Supreme Council can be viewed via this link Supreme Trustee 2021 Sir Danilo Peralta - YouTube.
ABOUT KNIGHT OF RIZAL
The Order of the Knights of Rizal is the sole order of knighthood in the Philippines.. The Order was created to honor and uphold the ideals of Philippine national hero Jose Rizal. The insignia of the Order is ranked seventh in the Order of Wear pursuant to the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Honors Code of the Philippines.
The Order was established in 1911 by Colonel Antonio C. Torres, who later served as the first Filipino chief of police of Manila. The Order was granted a legislative charter by President Elpidio Quirino as a non-sectarian, non-partisan, civic, patriotic, and cultural organisation under Republic Act 646 on June 14, 1951.
Since its founding, the Order has grown to more than 25,000 members belonging to 131 active chapters in the Philippines and 61 active chapters around the world. (From Wikipedia)