Aquino leads Rizal's 150th birth anniversary rites
-A A +ASunday, June 19, 2011
CALAMBA, Laguna - President Benigno Aquino III on Sunday led the commeration of the 150th birthday anniversary Dr. Jose Rizal by visiting the birthplace of the national hero here.
The President arrived at 7:30 a.m. and given arrival honors.
He led the flag raising ceremony in front of Rizal's house.
He then laid a wreath at Rizal's child monument installed inside the compound of the national hero's residence.
President Aquino then toured Rizal's house, which turned into a museum.
He was received by several relatives of Rizal.
The President will then proceed to the New Jose Rizal Monument in Bacnotan Road, Barangay Real, Calamba City where he will unveil what is touted to be the tallest statue of Rizal.
The statue is in honor of the hero's supreme sacrifice for the Filipino.
The said monument, which stands 22 feet tall on a 6.7-hectare property in front of Calamba City Hall complex, represents the 22 different languages used by Rizal, such as English, Chinese, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Russian and Spanish.
The new Rizal monument is expected to be the newest tourist and historical landmark, not only in Calamba, but in the whole world.
With this as the tallest statue of the hero on record, it will very well be the newest pilgrim site for people honoring Rizal around the world.
The construction of Rizal's tallest monument, which was made possible through the coordination between the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and the Calamba local government, is only one of the activities in celebrating his 150th birthday. (Jill Beltran/Sunnex)
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