Rizal Day is widely regarded as one of the most important national holidays in the Philippines. Come see us if you want to learn more about this event celebrated in the Philippines.

What is the Rizal Day?

Rizal Day

Jose Rizal is a national hero of the Philippines, and Rizal Day is a national holiday honoring his life and accomplishments.

When is the Rizal Day?

Every December 30th, people commemorate Jose Rizal's execution in 1896 at Bagumbayan (now known as Rizal Park) in Manila.

History of the national day of the Philippines

José Rizal

President Emilio Aguinaldo first established Rizal Day with a proclamation on December 20, 1898, and it was first observed on December 30, 1898, as a national day of mourning for Rizal in Malolos and all victims of Spanish colonial tyranny in the Philippines. The first municipality to implement the edict was Daet, Camarines Norte, which erected a monument that was created by Lt. Col. Antonio Sanz, supervised by Sanz and Lt. Col. Ildefonso Alegre, and funded by the residents of Camarines Norte and the rest of the Bicol Region. The three-tiered stone pylon, which was completed in February 1899, is inscribed with the names of Antonio de Morga, the author of Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas, a book describing the early years of Spanish colonization in the Philippines, and Rizal's works Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.

After winning the Spanish-American War against the Spaniards, the Americans seized sovereignty of the Philippines. Rizal was hailed as a national hero of the Philippines by the American Governor-General William Howard Taft in 1901 as a way to show that they were more pro-Filipino than the Spaniards. Act No. 345, which declared December 30 to be a public holiday, was passed by the Philippine Commission a year later, on February 1st of that year.

On June 9, 1948, President Elpidio Quirino signed Republic Act No. 229 into law, outlawing cockfighting, horse racing, and jai-alai on December 30. This was done to emphasize the solemnity of the occasion. The rule also stipulates that all flags throughout the nation must fly at half-staff all day.

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How is Rizal Day celebrated?

Rizal Day celebration

The 1949 Rizal Day commemoration is presided over by President Elpidio Quirino.

On December 30, 2021, President Rodrigo Duterte (center) will preside over the flag-raising ceremony during the 125th anniversary of the martyrdom of Jose Rizal in Manila's Rizal Park.

At Manila's Rizal Park, ceremonies for Rizal Day are held. The national flag is raised at Independence Flagpole at this ceremony, which is often held early in the morning and is presided over by the president and vice president. The Philippine Air Force then performs a flypast, and a wreath is laid at the Rizal Monument. On this holiday, the president often delivers his annual address, which is initially broadcast.

As in other parts of the nation, rites are presided over by the head executive of a province, city, or town. Similar to the Manila ceremony, these rites often involve flag-raising, speeches, and a wreath-laying ceremony at the local Rizal monument.

Did you know this date has ever been changed?

Rizal monument

Ambeth Ocampo, chair of the National Historical Commission, lobbied for the relocation of Rizal Day from December 30 to June 19, the day of the national hero's birth, because December 30 falls between Christmas and New Year's Day. Instead of having the commemoration on December 30—the middle of the Christmas break—this would allow students to participate in the celebrations. A bill adopted by the House of Representatives on its third reading and would have altered the date to June 19 on December 10, 2008, was not enacted since the Senate did not act in time after the 14th Congress finished its session.

President Benigno Aquino III formally proclaimed June 19, 2011, a one-time non-working holiday on April 29, 2011, to honor Rizal's 150th birthday.

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