Indispensable Rizal coins

Today we commemorate the 128th death anniversary of our country's national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal.

- MARICHU A. VILLANUEVA

It is traditionally observed in a solemn ritual of raising the gigantic Philippine flag in front of his monument in Luneta. Rizal earned this rightful stature in our country's history.

Refusing to be blindfolded, he gallantly faced death by musketry in Bagumbayan-now renamed after our national hero. Rizal was shot to death at the exact spot where his monument stands at the most popular park in Manila. It's a strange tradition that we have a national holiday and formal observance on the killing of our national hero. But there is none for Rizal's birth anniversary. Rizal's memories and outstanding works have been immortalized many times over, not only in the Philippines.

A well-traveled man during his lifetime, Rizal left many footprints in the countries where he went to. This brings to mind how the late president Fidel V. Ramos (PFVR) included in his itineraries in state visits and official foreign trips during his term several sites of the well-documented travels of Rizal. PFVR was also known for his peripatetic globe-trotting while in office at Malacañang Palace.

Sent by The STAR to cover the presidential travels abroad, PFVR took us during his state visit in the United Kingdom to pay respect at Rizal's small one-room apartment in London preserved by the British government in honor of our national hero. When he went to the former Czechoslovakia, PFVR included a side trip to memorial grounds in Prague where Rizal's bust sticks out of one of the white walls.

According to local and foreign historians, Rizal's trips would be like looking at a world map in the 13 countries from Europe to Asia such as Spain, Germany, France to Hong Kong where he had set foot from 1882 to 1887. Thus, don't be surprised to find or stumble onto some of Rizal's mementos displayed or exhibited abroad.