07 July 2015 - The Philippine Consulate General in Xiamen celebrated Dr. Jose Rizal’s 154th Anniversary with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Rizal Park in Jinjiang City, Fujian on June 26.
Philippine Consul General to Xiamen Julius Caesar Flores was joined by other Consulate General officers and representatives of Filipinos in Xiamen (FAX). The Chinese government was led by Jinjiang Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Minister of United Front Department Wang Jin Zhan, CPC Jinjiang Municipal Committee Zeng Hui Ping, Jinjiang Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office (FOCAO) Director General Chen Jian Jun and Deputy Director Dai Shao Yang.
On behalf of the Philippine Government, Consul General Flores expressed deep appreciation to the City of Jinjiang and its people for its continued hosting and maintenance of the Rizal Park, which has become a lasting symbol of the friendship and understanding between the Philippines and China.
Furthermore, Consul General Flores requested the local officials that the donated publications be reserved for the Rizal Showroom/Museum envisioned by the City of Jinjiang for its school children and the general public. The Consulate General reiterated its commitment to continue supporting this worthwhile endeavor, including the donation of a Rizal bust.
The monument dedicated to Dr. Rizal was completed in January 2003 and stands inside a five-hectare People’s Cultural Plaza in Jinjiang City’s Qiongque Village. The village is believed to be the ancestral home of Rizal’s paternal great, great grandfather, Ke Yinan, who was later baptized with the Christian name, Domingo Lamco, when he immigrated into the Philippines about 300 years ago. END