Rizal Day
Books and cartoons are filled with heroes. But real live people are known for great deeds, too. Most countries have heroes who helped their nation in one way or another. One hero of the Philippines is Jose Rizal.
Rizal helped the people of the Philippines fight for their freedom from Spain. The Spanish thought he wanted to cause a revolution. So they shot and killed him on December 30, 1896. The U.S.A. took control of the Philippines in 1898. The Philippines finally gained complete independence from the U.S.A. in 1946.
Celebrated every 30th of December, Rizal Day is a national holiday that commemorates the life and heroism of Dr. José Rizal – a man many consider to be one of the greatest heroes of the Philippines.
In the past, most of the official ceremonies on Rizal Day were performed at Rizal Park in the city of Manila.
During this official ceremony, flags are flown at half-mast and the President of the Philippines lays a wreath on the shrine dedicated to Jose Rizal.
Recently, it is no longer the case, as ceremonial programs are now being conducted nationwide especially in places where there are monuments of Rizal and government officials attend these programs as guest of honor.
As national holiday, most workers have the day off as a fully paid work day. However, those who do have to work on Rizal Day receive twice their normal day of wages.
Picture Credit : Google