International Perspective?

RODA, R.M. (2016, December 26). Monuments and memorials to Jose Rizal around the
world. Retrieved from https://lifestyle.inquirer.net/248798/monuments-memorials-jose-
rizal-around-world/
Monuments and memorials to Jose Rizal around the world
Today, we have statues and monuments of Rizal in virtually every town or city
plaza around the archipelago, as well as countless monuments of stone, granite or
bronze not only in the Philippines but in four continents—in Asia, Europe, North America
and Latin America.
Rizal sculptures bearing his likeness also stand in different parts of the world,
even in places he never set foot in.
There are also plaques, historical markers installed in Philippine embassies in
host countries, educational centers and special locations in places with overseas
Filipino communities.
The list of countries is too long. Rizal monuments stand today in several
countries that recognize him for his significant literary and scientific contributions, wide
influence, outstanding achievements, intelligence and heroism.
Singapore
Rizal visited Singapore four times. The first of his many visits to foreign lands
was a two-day stopover in Singapore in 1882, where he went on a sightseeing of the
city.
He left Singapore for Europe on May 11, 1882, and returned to the city on May
17,1892. This was to be his last visit to Singapore, for not long after this, he was
executed on Dec. 30, 1896.
In 2005, on the anniversary of Rizal’s birth, President Nathan of Singapore and
the National Heritage Board unveiled a memorial near the Asian Civilization Museum,
featuring a bronze medallion of Rizal by a Filipino artist to commemorate his various
sojourns in the city.
Madrid
Madre España, of course, should have the monument of her Philippine son. Rizal
stayed in Madrid for most of his European sojourn, from 1882 to 1891.
He arrived in Madrid for the first time in May 1882 after his medical studies at
University of Santo Tomas.
 In his diary, he wrote: “Madrid is one of the pleasant cities of the world; it
partakes at the same time of the spirit of Europe and of the Orient.”
He did literary, artistic and patriotic pursuits, despite the many attractions and
joyous sounds of Madrid.
A statue of the Philippine martyr and national hero stands in a prominent, well-
traveled part of the Spanish capital.
The Rizal monument is located in a well-lighted and landscaped 70-meter corner
lot in Parque Santander along Avenida de Filipinas in downtown Madrid.
The monument, similar to that in Luneta, has a four-meter-high bronze statue
sculpted by Filipino artist Florante Caedo. It was unveiled on Dec. 5, 1996. The statue is
placed beside the monument of the South American hero, Simon Bolivar.
Hong Kong
On Feb. 3, 1888, Rizal left Manila for Hong Kong. This was where he served his
self-imposed exiled in 1888.
From December 1891 to June 1892, he lived with his family at No. 5 D’Aguilar
St., No. 2, Rednaxela Terrace, where he opened a medical clinic as an ophthalmic
surgeon.
This site has a marker installed by Hong Kong Antiquities and Monuments Office.
It reads in English and Chinese:
“Dr. Jose Rizal (1861-1896) National hero of the Philippines lived in this area with
his family from December 1891 to June 1892.”
Japan
One of the happiest interludes in Rizal’s life was his sojourn in the Land of the
Cherry Blossom for 45 days from Feb. 28 to April 13, 1888.
On Feb. 18,1888, Rizal arrived in Yokahoma and registered at the grand Tokyo
Hotel. He proceeded the next day to Tokyo Hotel where he was billeted from March 2 to
7, and then transferred to the Spanish Legation.
He immediately worked on learning the habits, customs and tradition of the
Japanese people, their culture, language, theater and commerce.
He was charmed by “the natural beauty of Japan, the manners of the Japanese
people, the picturesque dress and simple charm of the Japanese women, the scenic
panoramas and shrines and industry of the Japanese people.”
He also fell in love with a Japanese girl, “whose loveliness infused joy and
romance in his sorrowing heart.” Her real name was Seiko Usui.
 Hibiya Park is the first Western-styled park in Japan located on a tranquil corner
of the busy city of Ginza, which opened in 1903.
A bust of Rizal was erected on the site of the grand hotel where he stayed in
1888. The marker reads:
“DR. JOSE RIZAL NATIONAL HERO OF THE PHILIPPINES STAYED IN 1888
AT TOKYO HOTEL
LOCATED AT THIS SITE. UNVEILED JUNE 19, 1961”
USA
Rizal first saw America on April 28, 1888, and visited the cities of New York,
Oakland, Reno, Chicago and Boston.
He wrote in his diary: “I visited the great cities of America, with their grandiose
edifices, their electric lights, and their great conceptions. America is, undoubtedly, a
great country, but she has many defects.”
It was reported by the Asian Journal that “monuments of Rizal stand in eight US
cities: Juneau, Alaska; Kauai and Lihue in Hawaii; Chicago, Illinois; Orlando, Florida;
California; Cherry Hill in New Jersey; New York City and Seattle.
The seven-foot bronze statue sculpted by Filipino artist Toym de Leon Imao,
mounted on a six-foot granite pedestal, is the ninth statue of Rizal in Carson City,
California.
It was a gift of the Philippine government to Carson City as part of the
celebration of the 150th birth anniversary of the Philippine national hero.
Rizal left New York for Liverpool, England, on May 16, 1888.—
MABAYO, R.A. and ROLDAN, R.G. (2017, January 04). JOSE RIZAL IN PRESENT-
DAY MADRID. Retrieved from https://www.dfa.gov.ph/dfa-news/events/rizal-day-
2017/15201-jose-rizal-in-present-day-madrid
JOSE RIZAL IN PRESENT-DAY MADRID
Any person, whether Filipino or not, who has undergone a class on Jose Rizal,
or heard or read about him, would know that Madrid, the Spanish capital, played an
important role in the life of the Filipino hero.
It has been over 130 years since Rizal set foot in Spain, yet he left tangible
reminders of his momentous stay in Madrid and in Spain in general.
His monument in Madrid, a replica of the Luneta monument in Manila, stands
proudly at the junction of Avenida de las Islas Filipinas and Calle Santander. Built in
1996, the monument continues to be the venue of commemorations associated with
Rizal, such as the Commemoration of the Birth Anniversary of Rizal every June 19 and
the Rizal Day Celebration in December 30, participated in by the Filipino community in
Madrid, the Knights of Rizal--Madrid Chapter, and Philippine Embassy officials.
For any Filipino visiting Madrid, the tour of the Rizal Monument becomes
an obligatory homage to one of the greatest Filipinos to have lived in Spain. Of
the innumerable connections that the Philippines has with Spain, it is Rizal that
endlessly connects Madrid to Filipino tourists.
“We receive many inquiries on Rizal from Filipino tourists, and we direct them to
our `Rizal Guide’ which is downloadable from the Embassy website,” says Philippine
Ambassador to Spain, Philippe J. Lhuillier.
“We are amazed by the undying interest in Rizal from many Filipinos visiting
Spain,” added Ambassador Lhuillier.
The “Rizal´s Madrid” tour as published on the website of the Philippine Embassy
in Madrid details the places associated with Jose Rizal.
Very soon, however, an addition to Rizal landmarks in Madrid will be a
street named after him. What was formerly Calle de Algabeño in Barrio de
Hortaleza has now been renamed Calle de Jose Rizal on the basis of a Madrid
City Hall resolution.
On 04 May 2017, the Governing Board of the City of Madrid approved changing
the name of certain streets, squares and crossings in Madrid, replacing them with
alternatives contained in a report dated 24 April 2017 issued by the Commission on
Historical Memory, in application of the provisions of Law 52/2007 of December 26
(otherwise known as the Historical Memory Law), which mandates the removal of coats
of arms, insignias, plaques, and other objects or commemorative mentions of the
personal or collective exaltation of the military uprising, Civil War and the Franco
dictatorial repression.
 Consequently, fifty-two plazas and streets in Madrid were renamed. Rizal´s name
was among the illustrious list of Spanish and foreign historical figures and events that
conformed with the critera set by the Commission. Rizal joins prominent women
leaders, notable educators, and literary figures among the new names for inclusion in
the post-Franco Madrid map.
In the document issued by the Comission, the justification it provided for
renaming the street “Calle de Jose Rizal” reads:
“Filipino intellectual, educated in Spain and other European countries, polyglot
and author of two famous novels in Spanish which were critical of the action of the
clergy and colonial authorities in the archipelago. Concerned about the future of his
country, he advocated administrative reforms and economic progress for the same.
According to his plan, his country should become a Spanish province with full
representation in the courts. There should also be an increase in the participation of the
native clergy in the ecclesiastical administration of the islands, and the establishment of
freedom of assembly and expression and equal legal status between the Filipino and
Spanish populations. But Rizal never advocated the armed insurrection against Spain
that was launched by the Katipunan movement, which Rizal opposed until the end.
Despite this, in 1896, he was accused of being the inspirer of the revolt and shot by the
Spanish authorities in 1896. Today, he is the national hero of the Philippines.
While the physical street signs have not been changed yet, the new street names
are now being used by the local government and in many business addresses.
“We welcome the renaming of a street in Madrid to Calle de Jose Rizal. It
goes to show that Rizal´s heroic deeds for his country are recognized
universally,” said Ambassador Lhuillier.
“I am proud to say that aside from erecting a replica of Rizal´s monument in
1996, the recent renaming of a street in Madrid to “Calle Jose Rizal” is not only an
honor but also a show of respect and great admiration of the City of Madrid to our
National Hero. We Filipinos here in Madrid and of course in Spain would like to express
our gratitude to the Spanish people for this great honor. This strengthens once again
the ties that bind Spain and the Philippines,” said Florencio Aliganga, Vice
Commander of the Knights of Rizal --La Solidaridad Chapter in Madrid.
Although the Philippines and Spain commemorate 70 years of formal diplomatic
relations this year, Rizal and the interest in him from Spaniards and Filipinos alike, are
proof that the relationship between the two countries and its peoples has been longer,
deeper and more dynamic than is formally acknowledged.
Indeed, Rizal did not just leave his footprints in Madrid. He also galvanized
his place in Spain´s history as an inspiring figure whose ideals continue to
resonate up to this time.
TUNDAG, J. (2008, November 24). Rizal everywhere but nowhere here. Retrieved from
https://www.philstar.com/opinion/2008/11/24/417783/rizal-everywhere-nowhere-here
Rizal everywhere but nowhere here
Last week, Peru unveiled a monument it erected in honor of Filipino national hero
Dr. Jose Rizal. President Arroyo unveiled the monument just before the start of the Asia
Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in the capital Lima.
Reports from Lima said the monument was the first ever of its kind that the
Peruvian government has erected in honor of a national hero of another country.
It was indeed a great honor for Rizal to be chosen first from among a number of
great heroes from other countries.
However, Peru is not the first country to have honored Rizal in such a manner.
Nearly two dozen other countries have also erected monuments in his honor. Others
named parks, public squares and streets after him.
According to an unofficial list, here are the foreign places that have
honored Rizal with monuments or park and street names: Singapore, Australia,
China, Japan, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Spain, the USA, Argentina, Chile, Cuba,
Mexico and Canada.
Many of these countries, in fact, have more than just one monument or park or
street named after Rizal. One country even claims (I will not name it because the claim
is unverified) that it has the largest monument to the Filipino hero, beating the one in our
own Luneta.
Needless to say, because we already know how most foreign countries put
a very high priority on heritage and culture, we can expect that these places of
honor are very well taken care of, meaning that they are truly fit the honor they
are meant to convey.
And that brings me to my point, which is whether we have maintained our very
own monuments and parks in honor of all of our very own heroes, not just Rizal. I ask
because I can very well answer my own question in the negative.
It may be true there is probably not a single town or city in the Philippines that
does not have one monument for Rizal, or at least for some other Filipino hero, or even
some local great and influential man.
But the question is not about sheer number or mere presence of
monuments or other place of honor. It is about whether we have bestowed on
these places the true honor and dignity that they command and deserve.
The question is asked because it is not lost upon us Filipinos that we often
neglect these places of honor. Most of these memorials are crumbling from lack
of care and upkeep. Worse, they are often desecrated.
 The desecration results not from some perverse willful desire but from an
utter lack of care. We just do not give a damn. Unlike the people of other
countries who view these monuments as places of honor and remembrance, to
us they are just plain structures of mass and form.
And that is why, in many instances, we see monuments serving some other
mundane purpose as a convenient place around which to tie clotheslines. Worse, what
grassy spots may be around these monuments make for a perfect grazing ground for
goats.
Years ago, I was shocked to see on tv the terrible state of the marker signifying
the spot where Andres Bonifacio was killed. The place was overrun with brambles and
the surrounding area was being suffocated by an encroaching jungle.
Perhaps the most telling sign of how we regard heroism and honor lies in
the derisive way in which young people admonish those who teeter on the brink
between good and bad: "Ayaw pag-hero-hero, kay dugay nang namatay si Rizal
(Don't play hero, as Rizal has long been dead)."