Jose Rizal and Cebu City's Library

His statue is literally in every town and city throughout this country. Yet, we wonder, how much of our national hero, Jose Rizal, do our people, especially our children and students, know about him?

Not all of us have the opportunity, like our friend and former scholar to Japan, Save Sabanal, to know more about Jose Rizal beyond the dates that are associated with him: June 19, his birth date and December 30 when he gave up his life for the Filipino people.

Save was able, in his own words, "to experience, first hand, a piece of Philippine history in Germany, by tracing Rizal's footsteps during his stay here." He visited "Wilhelmsfeld… where there is a small park dedicate to Rizal, with Rizal's statue and busts of Rizal's friends and mentors (Prof. Otto Becker, Prof. Ferdinand Blumentritt, Pastor Karl Ullmer, Professor Rudolf Virchow)."

Save joined the ceremonies with the Knights of Rizal, the Ladies for Rizal and guests in attendance. Save said he "was struck to know that all the members of the Knights of Rizal were Germans, and not only ordinary Germans but those very deeply linked historically with Rizal. Their grandparents or great-grandparents lived at the time of Rizal's stay in Wilhelmsfeld, and actually had contact with him!"

After the ceremonies, Save passed by Pastor Karl Ullmer's house where Rizal wrote the last chapters of his famous novel, "Noli Me Tangere". Save noted that "the street in front of Pastor Ullmer's house is now named Jose Rizal Strasse or Jose Rizal Street, in honor of Rizal, who has touched the residents of this small German village in more ways than one."

Save stated that he was humbled to know that so many Germans know about Jose Rizal. (Please visit Save's blog site for more details of his memorable visit related to Jose Rizal at http://stmike-iloilo.com/travelog.

Small though in physical stature, Jose Rizal's achievements as a person (he was a doctor, a poet, an artist, a novelist, a linguist, among others) but more so his sacrifices for his own people (a nationalist and a hero who readily and willingly, gladly gave his life for his beloved Filipinos) are far monumental than the statues that have been built in his honor and memory.

Would it not be a fitting tribute to Jose Rizal to have Cebu City's Library which is named after him be a breeding ground for inspiration and aspiration for our children and youth?

Rizal was inspired by much reading all throughout his lifetime. Reading should be a legacy to be handed to all our people, especially the young. Providing readings about Rizal and other inspiring Filipinos who believed and loved our country and our people is a strong foundation to continue to support the sustainable expansion and maintenance of the much-needed public library in Cebu City.

Chelo Echaves wrote to inform us that their group called Friends of the Cebu City Public Library (FCCPL) has been "silently but continuously supporting the public library". They would like to request newly-elected Mayor Mike Rama to remember to support this public library that can inspire the succeeding generations to love and do their share, like Rizal, for our country.

FCCPL would like to invite all of you who are willing to help raise awareness for CCPL and its presence here in Cebu City to attend our "Meeting of minds for a common cause: Reading, Literature, Literacy and Library" on June 19th Saturday, 4pm in Cebu City Public Library.

 We join their call to Mayor-elect Mike Rama and the newly-elected councilors like Alvin Dizon and Nina Cabrera, for their sustainable support to make the Jose Rizal Cebu City Library a strong foundation for reading, creative learning and inspiration for the residents, especially for the youth, the children and students of Cebu City.

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