Pride of the Filipino community in Australia

July 25, 2012 Filed under Associations Posted by TFA Readers

A Media Release of Rizal Park Movement Campbelltown

A graphic comparison by TFA Images

Soon, the statue of our Philippine national hero Dr Jose Rizal will rise in the City of Campbelltown, and will make the Filipino community in Australia feel proud.

The Rizal Park Movement of Campbelltown (RPMC), in coordination with the Campbelltown City Council, The Philippine Embassy in Canberra and The Philippine Consulate General in Sydney, advocated and lobbied for the development of Rizal Park in Rosemeadow. According to Mr Rey Manoto, RPMC President, this lobbying resulted to the adoption of a Rizal Park Master Plan, including the installation of Rizal Statue in the final stage.

The Rizal statue made by renowned Filipino sculptor, Eduardo Castrillo, is a welcome pleasant gift. It came sooner than expected, according to Mr Manoto. It was donated by Mr Castrillo to the Philippine government and in turn donated to the Campbelltown City Council. It is one of the Filipino community’s contributions to cultural diversity in Australia. It will be a way of sharing with all of Australia, our culture, our heritage and the heroism of our national hero, Dr. Rizal. H.E. Ambassador Belen Anota, during one of the meetings with the Filipino community leaders declared that Rizal Statue installation at Rizal Park in Rosemeadow is one of her priority projects.

This 5-meter bronze statue will be among the tallest Rizal statues in the world, the tallest is in Calamba City that stands 6.9 meters, the second tallest in Luneta at 6.2 meters.

It is also important for our Filipino youth to understand and become aware of who Dr Rizal was and what he had done for our motherland. It is also significant to tell the world that Rizal fought for non-violent revolution and was the inspiration of Mahatma Gandhi. Rizal formally declared in his writings that reforms could be achieved through peaceful means. With the two books, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, he wrote and the La Liga Filipina he organised, he wanted the people to become aware of reforms. The irony is after his execution at Bagumbayan, he inspired the revolutionaries to begin the revolution.

With the transformation being done by the Campbelltown City Council at Rizal Park and with the installation of Rizal Statue through the untiring efforts of our Ambassador Belen Anota and Consul General Anne Jalando-on Louis, the park is becoming more binding to the Filipinos. This Rizal monument will tell stories about his sacrifices and martyrdom, about the heroism he is famous of, his works and his life.

The Filipino community is encouraged to support this project of the Ambassador. One way of showing your support is by attending the Hero’s Gala Night to be held at Wests League Club at 10 Old Leumeah Road, Leumeah.

This event is the culmination of the fund-raising activities being conducted by RPMC.

Other avenues of support are by becoming a Benefactor for your name to be etched on the metal Plaque that will be set on the Benefactors’ Wall, or by simply buying the raffle tickets.

The expectation is that this Rizal Statue of this magnitude will bring about renewed enthusiasm about Jose Rizal, for some especially our youth to know him for the first time and for most Filipinos to get to know him better. Just like those revolutionaries, people will be inspired.