PRESIDENT BENIGNO S. AQUINO’s REMARKS
DURING THE UNVEILING CEREMONY
OF THE STATUE OF DR. JOSE RIZAL
Rizal Park, Rosemeadow, Campbelltown City
New South Wales, Australia
October 26, 2012
10262012A
(applause) Good morning. Please sit down.
Honourable Barry O’Farrell, Premier of New South Wales; Honourable Sue
Dobson, Mayor of Campbelltown City; Secretary Albert del Rosario;
Ambassador Belen Anota; Secretaries Cesar Purisima, Procy Alcala, Voltaire
Gazmin, Gregory Domingo, Arce Balisacan and Ricky Carandang; Consul
General Anne Jalando-on Louis; General Manager Paul Tosi; The Most
Reverand Peter Ingham, Bishop of Woolongong; Father Christopher Sarkis;
Honourable Consuls General of Thailand and Vietnam; Mr. Rey Manoto; Mr.
Enrique Reyes; honoured guests; mga minamahal ko pong kababayan:
Magandang umaga po sa inyong lahat.
Everywhere I have gone on this visit, there have been affirmations of the
deepening ties between the Philippines and Australia. Today, here in
Campbelltown, we unveil a powerful symbol of this new chapter in an old
friendship.
This statue of our national hero Jose Rizal shows how not only the economic
contributions of Filipinos, but also their history and culture, are
increasingly being recognized in Australia. It is therefore fitting and deeply
meaningful that this historic occasion is being witnessed by a representative
of the Rizal family in the person of Mr. Enrique Reyes, great-grandson of
Saturnina Realonda Rizal, Jose Rizal’s eldest sister. Mr. Reyes now lives and
resides in Mudgee—I hope, I said that correctly. I may not be welcome in
New South Wales after this. (laughter)
Just as Australia has embraced one of the Rizals, so has your nation
embraced our national hero. And no place has taken Rizal closer to her
heart than New South Wales. It is truly impressive that five of the six Rizal
landmarks in Australia are in the State of New South Wales: from the Rizal
Park in Blacktown City, to the bust of Rizal at the Plaza Ibero-Americana
near the Sydney Central Station, and the Rizal Statue in Ashfield Park. In
Campbelltown alone, there are two landmarks in honor of our national hero:
there is a Rizal Street and this Rizal Park. It is only proper that I convey our
sincerest and deepest appreciation to the Australian Federal Government,
the Government of New South Wales under the leadership of New South
Wales Premier Barry O’Farrell, and the Campbelltown City Council for their
generous support to the Rizal Park project. Not only is this an affirmation of
the importance of Filipinos to your national life, it is also a celebration of
Australian inclusiveness and diversity.
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At the core of today’s event is the civic spirit displayed by the Rizal Park
Movement of Campbelltown. With the support of various groups, as well as
associations and individuals here in Australia and in the Philippines, the
Movement has worked hard with the Campbelltown City Council to translate
this Park’s 2008 master plan into reality. I commend all of you for your
efforts, and I wish you success on your future plans to further enhance the
facilities of the Park.
Your civic spirit has sparked, in turn, generosity on the part of Filipinos at
home. This statue of Rizal, I understand, was donated by world-renowned
Filipino sculptor and artist Eduardo Castrillo. Mr. Castrillo depicts Rizal as
he looked during his stay in Europe, where he took advanced studies in
ophthalmology, became an advocate of his countrymen, and an advisor to
the men and women of his era, who aspired to build a free and prosperous
country.
The world of Jose Rizal was one in which the peoples of our part of the world
could only dream of self-government. In the generations that have passed
since Rizal, Filipinos and Australians alike have come to enjoy both the
blessings and the promise of democracy. Democracy where the people
themselves can chart their own destiny, and seek the prosperity, stability,
and peace they fully deserve.
Part of this process has been the discovery that a national community can
derive strength and vibrancy from being brave enough not to be slaves to the
past, and instead, take the leap of faith required to build a society that
embraces diversity. Your solidarity with us brings to mind the words of Jose
Rizal. Writing from London on February 22, 1889, he gave advice to the
women of Malolos in Bulacan province on the requirements of good
citizenship. In his letter, he said, “An example is the father who gave each of
his sons a lamp to light his way in the darkness. Let them intensify its
flame, take care of it, not extinguish it to depend on the light of others, but
to help one another seek each other’s counsel in the search of the way."
Rizal's life and his eventual martyrdom, served as that light: The ultimate
symbol that pulled our people together and inspired us to right an
oppressive system toward eventual freedom from colonial rule. His sacrifice
embodied the power of one, a power that illuminated an entire race. It
strengthened our forefathers' belief that so long as every Filipino was
unwavering in his or her sense of self-worth, hope of better times ahead
would not only endure, but more importantly, it would come to be realized.
This monument, in this park, pays homage to his ideals and will be an
enduring pledge that those ideals will continue to guide us, and that
Australians will be there as true friends in our collective quest for even
better lives for our peoples.
Thank you and good day. (applause)
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