Phl Embassy in Singapore commemorates Rizal

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Embassy in Singapore led last Dec. 30 a wreath-laying ceremony commemorating the 117th death anniversary of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal.

Minister and Consul General Alan L. Deniega of the Philippine Embassy in Sinagpore led the ceremony at the Dr. Jose Rizal marker along the banks of the Singapore River near the Singapore Asian Civilizations Museum.

The ceremony, attended by embassy officials and representatives from the Filipino community, was followed by a minute of silence and a rendition of Rizal's 'Mi Ultimo Adios.'

Representatives of the Singapore Preservation of Monuments Board including Director Jean Wee and Manager Foo Min Li and Assistant Manager Tan Xu En of the Singapore National Heritage Board also attended the ceremony. 

The Rizal marker was unveiled in 2008 by then Singaporean President Sellapan Ramanathan, through the joint efforts of the Philippine Embassy, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, National Historical Institute of the Philippines and the National Heritage Board of Singapore. 

The Rizal marker features a bronze relief done by National Artist Guillermo Tolentino and a brief biography of the Philippine national hero accompanied by a painting of him by Fabian Dela Rosa.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said Rizal, who traveled and passed by Singapore a number of times, is one of the only four personalities honored by the Singapore Government with a marker along the scenic riverside promenade. The other three are the writer Somerset Maugham, the late President Ho Chi Minh of Vietnam and former Paramount Leader Deng Xiaoping of the People’s Republic of China.