Rizal Day celebration at Philippin Consulate in Sydney – Australia New Zealand and Oceania (ANZO) Regional Commander Cesar Bartolome of Knights of Rizal announced a fund drive called “20-20-20” for the installation of a bust of Dr Jose Rizal at the Philippine Embassy in Canberra, ACT.
As part of his invited message at the commemoration of the Philippine national hero Dr Jose Rizal at the Philippine Consulate General in Sydney, Mr Bartolome said he had the approval of H.E. Philippine Ambassador to Australia Hellen dela Vega to follow up measures to put up a bust of Dr Jose Rizal.
Mr Bartolome said the goal is to put up for the first time a bust of the Philippine national hero in Philippine territory in Australia, namely the Philippine Embassy. This maybe achieved through representation with the Philippine National Commission for Arts and Culture or through a fund drive in Philippine community in Australia which he termed “20 Fund Drive for 2020”.
The fund drive will utilise the donations of at least 20 individuals or entities to fund at least an estimated $20,000 allocation to build a monument of Rizal at the Philippine Embassy. Last year the Knights of Rizal was able to put up a Rizal monument at the Rizal Park in Rooty Hill, NSW allocated by the Blacktown City Council.
Mr Bartolome thanked government of Australia especially several local government units (LGUs) for allowing at least four statues of Dr Jose Rizal in Australia namely in Surrey Hills, Ashfield, Rooty Hill and Rosemeadow in Campbelltown.
For the first time, Rizal Day commemoration was celebrated in a fifth location – the auditorium of the Philippine Consulate General on Wentworth Aveneue in Sydney CBD at 9:00 am 30 December, following an early 8:00 wreath laying by the Knights of Rizal at the American-Ibero Plaza in Surrey Hills.
Philippine Consul General to Sydney Mr Ezzedin Tago congratulated the Philippine community for its continued involvement in promoting Philippine history and culture particularly the community celebration of important Philippine public holidays such as Rizal Day,
A big crowd of Philippine community leaders led by the Knights of the Order of Rizal and the Kababaihang Rizalista attended the event which featured the wreath laying at the auditorium called Sentro Rizal which was dedicated and apportioned for the promotion of Rizal’s teachings and ideas, some three or four years ago,
Sentro Rizal was announced before during the term of Consul General Anne Jalando-on Louis to serve as library and activities centre for Philippine cultural promotion. The late Bayanihan News’s co-editor and book author Mr. Renato Perdon donated an extensive collection of books and periodicals including a prized Philippine Commonwealth era published facsimile of “Noli Me Tangere” and “El Filibusterimo”.
The late Mr Renato Perdon and Bayanihan News used to make the rare books and his collection of historical books as focus of a yearly book stall exhibition at the Philippine Fiesta Kultura in Sydney.
Interested researchers in Sydney should visit and coordinate with the consulate to read “Noli Me Tangere” and “El Filibsterismo” in their original Spanish text at the Sentro Rizal.
Another Rizal Day event was held at the Rizal Park at Anthony Drive in Rosemeadow suburb in Campbellton, joined in by a retinue of Philippine community leaders laying wreath of flowers, after an extensive cultural program amidst a 45 degree Sydney weather.
Speakers include Philippine Consul Genegal of Sydney Mr Ezzedin Tago, Consul General Aian Caringal from Canberra, representing Philippine Ambassador Hellen de la Vega , Campbeltown Councillor Massod Choudhurry, representing the Mayor of Campbeltown George Brticevic, Knights of Rizal ANZO Regional Commander Cesar Bartolome and Campbelltown Councilor Rey Manoto, as president of the Rizal Park Movement of Campbelltown (RPMC) which hosted the Campbelltown rites.
Among those who offered wreaths and flowers were representatives of the following: Order of the Knights of Rizal, Kababaihang Rizalista, Dr JP Rizal Soverign Chapter 263, Sto Nino Association of MacArthur, MacArthur Filipino Women’s Friendship Group, San Pedro Calung sud Association, Filipino and Friends, Stepwise Group, MacArthur Women;s Support Group, UP Alumnis, Ilocano Associaiton, Timek Iti La Union, Illawarra Filipino and Multicultural Womens, Filipino Australian Community Associaion of Eastern Suburbs, Bicol Inc, Alpha Phi Omega Sydney, Filipinana Freinds Group of Bathurs, Pre-neeed Planning Consultants MMP, MacArthur Memorial Park (Mr Moises Millena and Laura Marquinez),
The Knights of Rizal also hosted another Rizal Day event at Rizal Park in Rooty Hill in Blacktown at 3:30 in the afternoon.