Daet takes pride as site of world's first monument of Rizal

The first-ever Jose Rizal monument erected in Daet, CamNorte

By ROSALITA B MANLANGIT

DAET: Daet takes pride being the site where the first Rizal monument was built that occupies a distinct place in the annals of nationalistic struggle not only in CamNorte, or in Bicol Region but even in the entire country.

A forum on "Why the world’s first Rizal Monument was built in Daet?" was conducted here for the 116th anniversary celebration of the martyrdom of Dr Jose P Rizal and the 114th anniversary of the establishment of the first Rizal Monument, held on Dec 30, 2012 at the Heritage Center here.

Mayor Tito S Sarion, also a member of the Knights of Rizal, said that they have already sponsored a book entitled The First Rizal Monument, Nationalism and the 1898 Daet Uprising written by Prof. Danilo Gerona, a renown Bicolano historian.

He also said that the the municipal government here is planning to put a building nearby the monument to showcase Rizal and will serve as office of the Knights of Rizal.

Gerona, on the other hand, said that the first Rizal monument was built in Daet because the first uprising against the Spaniards was started in this town by the Masonic movement, a group of intellectuals here who studied at the Ateneo de Manila and the University of Sto.Tomas.

He said that the uprising in Daet on April 18, 1898 was in sympathy for Dr Rizal, because some of the intellectuals like Eldifonso Moreno, Vicente Lukban and other local heroes were believed to be classmates of Rizal.

He said that the book “The First Rizal Monument” explains the details of the monument and will be published within this year. -- PIA CamNorte