The weather was rainy yesterday (June 19) morning but that couldn't dampen the enthusiasm of a group of Filipino people as ground was broken for a monument to recognize and honour the country's national hero.  

Dr. Jose Rizal was an ophthalmologist by profession but was skilled in many things, including languages as he spoke 22 of them.  He was born on June 19th, 1861, the same date that Saturday's dedication took place, 160 years later.  Rizal turned his skills to writing and put pen to paper for two novels that advocated for political reforms for the colony which was ruled by Spain at that time.  Those novels inspired the Philippine Revolution which eventually led to the country's independence from Spanish control.  Rizal was executed for his writings by the Spanish colonial government on December 30th, 1896, after the revolutions broke out but before it ended. 

Mayor Peter Brown, Philippines Consul General Zaldy Patron and Jun Martin, the President of the Filipino Association of Airdrie handled the shovels for the groundbreaking.  

Zaldy Patron got the ball rolling on the monument project in June 2019 when he approached the mayor with the concept.  He felt that it was fitting that a Rizal monument for the Philippine people be erected somewhere in Alberta.

"Alberta hosts the second-largest Filipino community in the whole of Canada with 175,000 Filipinos," he says. "It will mean a lot for the Filipino people to have a symbol for their nationhood and identity in the person of Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippines national hero."

Mayor Brown agrees that Airdrie, with its large population of Filipinos, is the right place for the monument. Brown loves the culture of the Philippines and the desire to have fun that's shown by the people.  He also likes the fact that Filipinos are an important part of Airdrie's diversity.

"It's (the monument) is going to provide some tourism opportunities for our community but, most importantly, it's going to show that we're diverse, we're inclusive and we're educating the community that may or may not know the history of the Philippines.  There'll be some really good, strong recognition here. I'm excited to be here.  I know all my council colleagues were fully supportive of this initiative and I'm thrilled to see it here today."

Patron says the Rizal bust is now being produced in the Philippines by a renowned sculptor and will eventually make its way to Airdrie and its permanent home in Nose Creek Park.

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