President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led at the Rizal Park in Manila on Friday morning, Dec. 30, the commemoration of the 126th anniversary of the martyrdom of national hero Dr. Jose P. Rizal.
Marcos led the wreath-laying ceremony, which followed a flag raising ceremony where he was assisted by First Lady Liza Marcos, and sons Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos, Joseph Simon, and William Vincent Marcos.
In his Dec. 30 message, he called on Filipinos to keep embodying the excellence, patriotism and perseverance of Dr. Jose Rizal.
“Despite the threat of persecution, Rizal helped enlighten Filipinos about the injustice, corruption and oppression they suffered at the hands of their colonizers,” President Marcos said.
“May Rizal’s determination to achieve real changes empower the Filipinos today to become vigilant of the social ills that may threaten our liberty,” he added.
The Jose Rizal martyrdom commemoration carried the theme “Rizal: Alaalang Iningatan, Yaman Ngayon ng Bayan.”
The Museo ni Jose Rizal in Calamba Laguna, Museo ni Jose Rizal in Dapitan in Zamboanga del Norte, and local government units also held flag-raising and wreath-laying rites. AG
