Jose Rizal a revered hero abroad, not just PHL

ANDREI MEDINA, GMA NEWS Philippine national hero Dr. Jose Rizal is a revered hero not only in the country but in other parts of the world. On his 151st birth anniversary on Tuesday, Filipinos gathered at the Luneta Park in Manila where a monument stands in his honor. Exactly 151 people -- both cops and civilians -- also biked from the Luneta Park to Calamba, Laguna, his birthplace. Although Rizal is not the “official national hero" of the Philippines, he is still the country's most popular hero and most accepted figure for the role. The Philippines actually does not have any official national hero. National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) Heraldry Section Chief Teodoro Atienza said no law has been passed to recognize a national hero in the country. Rizal was born to a rich family in Calamba, Laguna on June 19, 1861. He was the seventh child in the family which had 11 children. Rizal was a Filipino polymath and patriot who advocated for reforms during the Spanish colonial era. He attended various schools: Ateneo Municipal de Manila (earning a Bachelor of Arts); University of Santo Tomas (medicine); Universidad Central de Madrid in Madrid, Spain (Licentiate in Medicine); University of Paris, and University of Heidelberg. Rizal was a polyglot who was conversant in 22 languages. A poet and novelist, his two most famous works were the "Noli me Tangere" and "El Filibusterismo." On December 30, 1896, Rizal was executed by the Spanish in Bagumbayan. The date of his death is remembered every year as "Rizal Day." Tributes to Rizal around the world BELGIUM Estimated number of Filipinos: 6,585* In Belgium on June 16, three days before Rizal's birth anniversary, the Rizal Traveling Museum was opened at the Philippine Embassy in Brussels. According to a report of the Filipino community news site Munting Nayon News Magazine, the opening of the museum was followed by a guided tour and a gala dinner. Ambassador Victoria Bataclan led the ribbon-cutting ceremony during the opening of the museum. UNITED STATES Estimated number of Filipinos: 3,166,529* In the United States, a Rizal statue in Carson City, California is set to become the ninth statue of the Philippine hero in the US. The bronze statue was sculpted by Filipino artist Toym de Leon Imao, a report of the news site Asian Journal said. The seven-foot bronze figure mounted on a six-foot granite pedestal was a gift of the Philippine government to Carson City, the report said. "Monuments of Rizal stand in eight US cities including Juneau, Alaska; Kauai and Lihue in Hawaii; Chicago, Illinois, Orlando, Florida; Cherry Hill in New Jersey, New York City and Seattle, Washington," the Asian Journal said. "Rizal monuments also stand in other parts of the world, including Argentina, Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain and Switzerland, among others," it added. Meanwhile, Irving Park Road, a street in Chicago in the US, was renamed "Dr. Jose Rizal Avenue" as part of the celebration of the 150th birth anniversary of the Philippine national hero. According to a report of the Philippine Consulate General in Chicago, Consul General Leo Herrera-Lim led on September 10 last year the rededication rites for Dr. Jose Rizal Avenue which stretches from Block 1300W to Block 1400W. ANDORRA Estimated number of Filipinos: 1,075* Last year, in celebration of Rizal's 150th birth anniversary, a bronze bust of him was unveiled at the Parc Central in Andorra, a small landlocked country in southwestern Europe. Philippine Ambassador to Spain and Andorra Carlos Salinas and Andorra la Vella Mayor Maria Rosa Ferrer Obiols led the unveiling of the bronze bust on March 15. "The bronze bust, donated by Philippine Honorary Consul General to Andorra Hans Peter Holbach, was made by the Andorran sculptor Angel Calvente and measures 50 x 30 x 216 centimeters," the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a news release. SWITZERLAND Estimated number of Filipinos: 19,529* In Switzerland, a marker for Rizal was unveiled on December 14 last year to mark Rizal's 150th birth anniversary. Philippine Ambassador to Switzerland Leslie Baja led the unveiling of the Rizal marker at the Hotel Schweizerhof Bern. "The plaque was put at the entrance of the hotel where Dr. Jose Rizal stayed in Berne from 4 to 5 June 1887. It was provided by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines led by its Chair, Ma. Serena Diokno," a DFA news release said. "While in Switzerland, the Philippine national hero visited Schaffhausen, Basel, Berne, Lausanne and Geneva. Markers have been installed previously in Schaffhausen and Geneva," the DFA said. AUSTRALIA Estimated number of Filipinos: 345,592* The DFA said a statue of Rizal will be installed in Canberra, Australia this year. In a news release, the DFA said the Philippine Embassy in Canberra, the Consulate and the Rizal Park Movement were working with the Campbelltown City Council in installing Rizal's statue. The DFA said the statue, donated by renowned Filipino sculptor Eduardo Castrillo, will be erected before the 150th birth anniversary of Rizal ends on June 19 this year. SPAIN Estimated number of Filipinos: 52,611* A room in a military fortress in Spain where Philippine national hero José Rizal was once imprisoned by Spanish authorities is now a place which honors his name and memory – the “Sala José Rizal" room at the Montjuic Castle in Barcelona, Spain. On October 6, 1896, Dr. Rizal was imprisoned at the Montjuic Castle—“Castell de Montjuïc" in the local Catalan language—by Spanish authorities after his arrest as he was making his way to Cuba on a volunteer medical mission. ITALY Estimated number of Filipinos: 123,379* To mark the 150th birth anniversary of Rizal last year, Philippine diplomats in Rome announced plans for a new monument for him. Philippine Ambassador to the Vatican Mercedes Tuason announced the plan following a commemorative program to mark Rizal Day at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome. Philippine Ambassador to Italy Romeo Manalo, embassy staff and members of the Tuason and Fores clans from Manila also attended the ceremonies. The program concluded with the reading of Jose Rizal’s last poem “Mi Ultimo Adios" by the participants. - VVP, GMA News

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