By: Chair Mann
The first statue of Dr. Jose Rizal in Canada was installed in 1998 at Earl Bales Park in Toronto, Ontario. To this date Dr. Jose Rizal’s monument is standing tall, a source of pride and joy to all Filipino Canadians living in the Greater Toronto Area, and to the many visitors of the park who gather there throughout the four seasons of our great country, Canada.
The First Fact
The proponents of the Rizal monument project were Consul General – Francisco Santos who owns the Bust that started it all, and TV Producer of Philippine Sundae – Mr. Emmanuel Nacario who planted the idea of putting the bust of Dr. Jose Rizal in public display for the Filipino community to be proud of. Thus, the combination gave birth to the project of installing the first ever bust of Dr. Rizal in Canada.
The Second Fact
Earl Bales Park was the chosen site for the Dr. Jose Rizal monument project; TV program Philippine Sundae holds yearly shows in this park. Mr. Emmanuel Nacario relation with the park people made it easy to connect with Toronto City Hall for the Dr. Jose Rizal monument project.
In 80’s, Independence Day picnic for Filipinos in the GTA were held in two different parks by the Pro and Anti Marcos factions. A few years after the EDSA Revolution, the dream of having one independence picnic came into fruition at Earl Bales Park.
The park turned into a “Unity Park for Filipinos”. Thus, making Earl Bales Park a more be fitting site for Dr. Jose Rizal’s Monument project.
The Third Fact
With the bust and with the site determined, the next step was to donate the bust of Dr. Jose Rizal to the City of Toronto. A Deed of Donation is necessary from the Philippine Consulate General, and to complete the deal the City of Toronto must execute a Deed of Acceptance.
It was at this point that the proponents of the project decided to invite the Knights of Rizal to be involved. The first order was to task the Knights of Rizal, Scarborough Chapter headed by Sir Emiliano Silverio and Sir Joe Luzadas to assist Vice Consul, Sylvia Marasigan of the Philippine Consulate Toronto, to present who Dr. Jose Rizal is, and why Dr. Jose Rizal is so important to the Filipino Community.
The City Council of Toronto favorably accepted the project with the following three milestone resolutions:
- First Resolution – That, the Deed of Donation of the Philippine Consulate Toronto was received favorably with the execution of a Deed of Acceptance by the City Council of Toronto.
- Second Resolution – That, the Bust of Rizal will be prominently placed at Earl Bales Park, located at Bathurst St., North York in the City of Toronto.
- Third Resolution – That, this Bust of Dr. Jose Rizal will be the last monument that will be installed in Earl Bales Park.
With the Deed of Acceptance being resolved, the Bust of Dr. Jose Rizal at Earl Bales Park became the property of the City of Toronto.
The Fourth Fact
With the deed of acceptance of the City Council of Toronto in hand, Sir Silverio tasked Sir Willie Cantos to gather estimate for the cost of the pedestal. The Knights of Rizal, Toronto initiated to fund raised the money for the monument pedestal.
After a month of fund raising, $4,000.00 was raised to cover for the cost of the pedestal. Acknowledgement is due to the following donors:
- KOR in GTA – $1,000.00
- Mr. Chito Collantes – $1,000.00
- Mr. Jess Mallari – $1,000.00
- Mr. Emmanuel Nacario – $1,000.00
The Fifth Fact
Contrary to some people and belief, the Knights of Rizal did not start this project. They could have not initiated the monument project, for they do not have a bust of Dr. Jose Rizal to donate and install at Earl Bales Park in the first place.
The Knights of Rizal has no connection whatsoever with Earl Bales Park during the conceptualization of the monument project.
The Knights do not have the financial capability to undertake the monument project at that time. The project was mostly funded from private sources.
Although, the Knights of Rizal played a very important role in the presentation to the City Council of Toronto on the value and importance of Dr. Jose Rizal to the Filipino Canadians.