Toronto Police Honor Philippine National Hero

PHILIPPINE VILLAGE VOICE - Redefining Community News
Currents & Breaking News
Volume 4, Issue No. 34
/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /

. . . . . A community service of Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@gmail.com) for the information and understanding of Filipinos and the diverse communities in North America . . . . . .

The News UpFront: (TOP STORY) as of Saturday, September 25, 2010
~ While Filipinos pay little attention to the dishonor of having the busts of national hero Jose Rizal in fishmarkets in San Diego and Los Angeles, California, the Toronto Police Service paid tribute to his role in Philippine history by having the image of his monument in Manila's Luneta Park painted in a huge Community Quilt of Tiles to highlight the strength and diversity of Canada's largest city. The painting of the Rizal monument, according to Philippine Consul General Minerva Falcon, "encapsulates the entirety of what we are about in the Philippines".

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S/Supt. Jane Wilcox (right) with three of the artists and Supt. James Ramer  and Constable Philip Mendoza (left).

 IN CALIFORNIA, JOSE RIZAL IS A MARKET SENTRY
Toronto Police Unveil 'Quilt of Tiles' with Image of Philippine Hero's Monument

By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ

TORONTO - An artist's rendering of the Jose Rizal monument in Manila's Luneta Park is among the iconic landmarks that occupies a spot in a huge Community Quilt of Tiles adorning the Toronto Police College building shown on Saturday (Sept. 25, 2010) to Asia Pacific community leaders and the Filipino media.

The city's police department honored some of the artists, including Frank A. Cruzet, a self-taught painter who was a former Manila policeman himself. He had painted a white tile with images of the Rizal monument based on a photograph furnished by Toronto Police Constable Philip Mendoza.

Cruzet said it was Mendoza's idea to have something that symbolizes the Philippines and is easily recognizable by all Filipinos. That tile is one of 35 other tiles that formed the big Community Quilt of Tiles to highlight Toronto's policing commitment to the Asian Pacific communities.

Staff Superintendent Jane Wilcox led officials in honoring the artists with symbolic plaques. (A video presentation is available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bADykG7Ijc&feature=channel ).

Philippine Consul General Minerva Falcon, who was among the honored guests, said she was elated that the Rizal monument was chosen, quite fittingly, as it "encapsulates the entirety of what we are about in the Philippines".


Philippine Consul General Minerva Falcon with artist Frank Cruzet.

"I am very, very pleased that the theme chosen for this sums up the experience of the Filipino both historically and their experience here in Canada," Falcon stressed.

The quilt as an art form was the idea of Inspector Cory Bockus to emphasize the contributions of Toronto's diverse communities."By joining these images together, we reveal the strength and beauty of Toronto," according to her published statement.

Toronto,Canada's largest city, is the most diverse in North America. It also has the biggest concentration of Filipinos.

(This Currents & Breaking News may be posted online, broadcast or reprinted upon request by interested parties. Permission by the author and the editor must be obtained before any re-posting online or re-publication in print or re-broadcast. Copyright by Romeo P. Marquez, Editor, Philippine Village Voice, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Volume 4, Issue no. 34, September 25, 2010. Email at: PhilVoiceNews@aol.com  or CurrentsBreakingNews@gmail.com ).



TPS' Community Quilt of Tiles. The Rizal monument is shown below, second from right.



For other stories, please visit:

1. http://currentsbreakingnews.blogspot.com/  
2. http://torontonewsroom.blogspot.com/
3. http://timecircumstance.blogspot.com/
4. http://travelsthemes.blogspot.com/  
5. http://gotchajournalist.blogspot.com/  .

For newsvideos, please click the link:
1. Manila's Rizal Monument in Toronto's 'Quilt of Tiles': http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bADykG7Ijc&feature=channel
2. Images of the Philippines on Apparels and Accessories in Toronto at: http://vimeo.com/15160450
3. Bicolanos in Toronto Celebrate Feast of Our Lady of Penafrancia with Mass: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fBa88FUXfk&feature=channel
4. Filipino Protesters Hold Rally in Toronto Against Martial Law in RP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vc6QOXR4oqk&feature=channel
5. Quiapo! Quiapo! - The Famous Filipino Restaurant in Toronto: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9y1PnpjCyNk&feature=channel
6. Restless in New York -- A Writer's Journey: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g37TAHkSgSE&feature=channel