On the 7th of March the capital of Belgium became center of Knights of Rizal Europe Regional Assembly which is held every two years, during this important meeting the Area Commanders (national level) are taking there oath of office. Considering the fact that the Knights of Rizal is established by Philippine Act 646 in 1951 and thus state founded the oath taking was performed by H.E. Mr. Jaime Victor Ledda, himself a Knight of Rizal, ambassador of The Philippines to the European Union.  For the Netherlands Sir Anton Lutter, KCR was appointed by the Supreme Council in Manila thereby the first Dutchman to be appointed as Area Commander. This fact did’n went unnoticed by H.E. Mr. J. Eduardo Malaya, Philippines ambassador in The Hague.

During an appreciation dinner hoisted by the Philippines embassy on March 9, attended by CEOs, senior corporate executives, government officials, and members of the diplomatic and business communities and keynote speaker Undersecretary for International Trade Allan B. Gepty, the Philippines’ lead negotiator for the ongoing Philippines–European Union Free Trade Agreement talks, Anton Lutter was the first awardee of the Exemplary service in promoting Philippines-Netherlands Partnership Award, among other awardees which were exclusively businessleaders.

In his welcoming speech H.E. Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya, said “this year 2026 is special as we mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries. It has been 75 years of steady and growing partnership, and this has largely been on the back of robust business-to-business engagements… It is the fervent wish of the Philippine Government and the Philippine Embassy to convey our deep appreciation in meaningful ways for all their contributions to the robust and dynamic Philippines-Netherlands partnership.”  His remarks were especially in tone with Mr. Lutters contribution towards Philippine-Netherlands relations. He is the founder of the first Knights of Rizal chapter in the Netherlands in 2015 and since then has led in numerous events in cooperation with Philippines embassy in The Hague.

“Tonight, we likewise recognize certain individuals who have provided Exemplary Service in Promoting Philippines-Netherlands Partnership. Our first awardee under this category founded the Order of the Knights of Rizal in the Netherlands with the creation of The Hague Chapter in 2015. Recently, he became the first Dutch citizen to be appointed by the Supreme Council in Manila as the new Area Commander in The Netherlands for the Rizalian Year 2026-2027. Through him, the Embassy enjoys an active engagement with the Knights of Rizal, thus providing meaningful activities celebrating and embodying the life and work of the Philippines’ national hero. Thus, the Embassy is pleased to confer this Exemplary Service in promoting Philippines-Netherlands Partnership to Mr. Anton Lutter.

His support of the first ever Dutch translation of Philippines National Hero Jose Rizal’s most important literary work El Filibusterismo and a retranslation of the Noli Me Tangere are a significant contribution to promoting Philippines cultural heritage.

However Jubilee Year 2026 brought another significant Knights of Rizal appointment. Also a first. Sir Alexander Onia, KGOR – Lutters predecessor as area commander – became the first Dutch-Filipino to be elected in the Supreme Council in Manila, remarkable it has been for more over a decade that a person from Europe became Supreme Councillor.

The Knights of Rizal chartered by Republic Act 646 in 1951 is the state founded knightly order of The Philippines and with the Knights of Holy Sepulchre (Holy See) the sole  international organized order operating in The Netherlands. Soly dedicated and named after Philippines’ national hero Jose Rizal. He was born on June 19, 1861, in the town of Calamba, Laguna. In the hope of securing political and social reforms for his country and at the same time educate his countrymen, Rizal, the greatest apostle of Filipino nationalism, published, while in Europe, several works with highly nationalistic and revolutionary tendencies.

In March 1887, his daring book, Noli Me Tangere, a satirical novel exposing the arrogance and despotism of the Spanish clergy, was published in Berlin; on September 18, 1891, El Filibusterismo, his second novel and a sequel to the NOLI and more revolutionary and tragic than the latter, was printed in Ghent. Because of his fearless exposures of the injustices committed by the civil and clerical officials, Rizal provoked the animosity of those in power. This led himself, his relatives and countrymen into trouble with the Spanish officials of the country.

On 30th of  December 1896 he was executed, but instead of suppressing an uprising it unified the unified the Philippines people in their rebellion against the Spanish. This day a defining moment in Philippine history is nowadays known as Rizal Day and remembered in all Philippines embassies areoud the world with a solemn ceremony. The Dutch connection between Jose Rizal was significant for his revolutionary thought process, he was duly influenced by the Max Havelaar published by Multatuli in 1859. Rizal mentions the importance of this work – which he read in London in 1888 – in a letter to Ferdinand  Blumentritt

Though his novel “Max Havelaar” was published over a century and a half ago, Dekker remains one of the most celebrated Dutch writers. Historians and critics credit the book for radically overhauling Dutch colonial policy in the Dutch East Indies in the late 19th century. A  Remarkable feat, Multuli died the month before the magnificent Noli Me Tangere was published.A museum dedicated to Dekker’s writings and thoughts can be found in Amsterdam.