PR-14-2024
“It took more than three years of lobbying before the first-ever Rizal landmark in Australia received its much-needed upgrade and improvement.” This was the statement made by Consul General Maria Lourdes Salcedo when she spoke before the guests at the official reopening of Rizal Park in Ballarat on 19 June 2024. She added that Rizal is not only the Philippine national hero but, in fact, an ‘Asian hero’ because he inspired many democratic movements in the Asia Pacific region.
Due credit was given to the City Council of Ballarat led by Mayor Des Hudson who finally saw the merit of improving the historic Park where the Rizal plaque was first laid on the ground in December 1999. The Ballarat Mayor was accompanied by several City Council officials and those who helped with the project from the Intercultural Committee and the Committee on Parks and Gardens.
Sometime in 2020, there was a plan to abandon the Rizal Park in its current decrepit state and move the plaque to an Intercultural Garden, a project spearheaded by the Chinese Community in Ballarat. The Filipino Community and the Consulate lent their support to the project but appealed that the historic Rizal Park be maintained and improved in its current site. The request finally came to fruition during the 163rd birthday celebration of the Philippine national hero.
At the event, Mayor Hudson paid homage to Rizal, the extraordinary Filipino and hero of the fifth largest migrant group in Victoria. The improved park is an acknowledgement of the many contributions of the Filipino Community to the third largest city of Victoria.
Josephine Quintero, the great grandniece of Rizal and member/adviser of the Kababaihang Rizalista, Inc. (KRI), recounted the birth of Rizal in 1861 and the poignant death of the hero, straight from the archives of the Rizal family. Sherley Hart, a FilCom leader and a KRI member who helped Consul General lobby for the park’s improvement, recited a Rizal poem called In Memory of My Town.
Also in attendance were members of the Filipino Community in Ballarat, including the Filipino-Australian Association of Ballarat, Inc (FAABI), Filipino Australian Sports Club of Ballarat Inc. (FASCOBI), the long-time Rizal expert Dr. Allan Terret as well as members of the Knights of Rizal (KOR), and Kababaihang Rizal Inc, in Victoria (KRI).
Left to right: Mayor Cr Des Hudson, Consul General Maria Lourdes Salcedo, and Josephine Quintero, Dr Jose Rizal’s great grand niece of Dr. Jose P. Rizal cut the ceremonial ribbon.
Among the works completed include the relocation of the Rizal plaque from the ground to its new upgraded location made of bricks with accents of red, blue and yellow tiles, a stainless steel stand locator containing information about Rizal, landscape pavement/ walkway of around 30 meters connecting the two entrances to the park, repainting of the signage at the main entrance and an improvement of the existing shelter pavilion with a table and two benches. A second phase of the project could include the planting of trees and shrubs and an improvement of the nearby playground for children.
It was a cold frosty start with blue skies for the celebrants as they profusely thanked the City Council of Ballarat for this wonderful gift on Rizal’s 163rd birthday.
The City Council led the preparations for the official reopening, including the sending out of invitations, preparation of the program and the after-event refreshments. The Rizal Park in Invermay Ballarat is concrete proof of the enduring friendship between the Philippines and Australia for 78 years and counting.
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