Press Release
June 19, 2009

Gordon welcomes creation of Rizal Park in Australia

As the nation commemorates today the birth of its national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, Senator Richard J. Gordon (Ind.) welcomed the development of a Rizal Park in New South Wales, Australia as a fitting tribute to Rizal's heroism.

Gordon pointed out that Filipinos should be proud that other nations recognize that Rizal's short but meaningful life is an ideal model which shows that a person can achieve far beyond what he may seem to reach if only he has a vision and strives hard to achieve it.

"Jose Rizal showed us that even if we were colonized by foreign nations, we can refuse to be bound by them by having a vision and strengthening our values. He showed that Filipinos could excel and compete with the best," he said.

"Jose Rizal was the first Filipino to break the walls in his mind, walls which were built by the foreign invaders. Other countries also recognize his heroism and have chosen to erect monuments in his honor," he added.

Aside from the park being built in Australia, monuments in Rizal's honor are found in Madrid, Spain; Wilhelmsfeld, Germany; Jinjiang, Fujian, China; Cherry Hill Township, New Jersey, San Diego,[50] and Seattle, U.S.A.; Reforma Avenue in Mexico City, Mexico; La Molina in Lima, Peru; Litomerice, Czech Republic; and Singapore.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has reported that a 2.2-hectare property in the city of Campbelltown, New South Wales will be developed to become the Rizal Park in Australia . It was through the initiative of a group of Filipino-Australians and their friends who petitioned the city council of Campbelltown to name it Rizal Park.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd gave A$120,000 for the initial construction of the park while the Campbelltown city council will provide another A$140,000.

Guided by the values inculcated by Rizal, Gordon started the Bagumbayan Movement which seeks to rediscover and revitalize the Filipinos' identity by having a vision grounded on values and empowered by volunteerism.

He explained that the Bagumbayan movement aims to regain the Filipinos' sense of responsibility, to reinvent the government that it may faithfully perform its duty to serve and protect the people, to fortify law and order, and to build a strong and growing economy.

It also strives to prioritize education, provide adequate health care, create jobs, assist people in securing homes and land, strengthen the family as the foundation of the nation, and protect and preserve the environment for posterity.

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