‘Students put sunglasses, Bob Marley cap on Rizal’

June 19 marks the 152nd birth anniversary of the country’s national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal. For many people, it’s another regular day. But for historians and fans of the martyr, it’s a day that the country should commemorate in a big way. “I believe it is more appropriate to observe Rizal Day on his birth anniversary than on the day he died,” said Gabriel Cad, the curator of the Rizal Park in Dapitan City. Rizal was exiled in Dapitan by the Spanish authorities. There he set-up an eye practice and taught local children how to read and write. Cad lamented how today’s youth don’t really appreciate the sacrifices made by Rizal and his generation of heroes. “There was a time I saw young students putting sunglasses and Bob Marley cap on Rizal’s monument [at the Rizal Park] and took turns in taking photos while the others were putting their hands on Rizal’s shoulders,” Cad recalled.

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