Philippine Consulate Visits Site for Dr. Jose Rizal Monument in Daly City
From L-R: Architect Enrique Soliven Jr., Daly City Library Director Chela Anderson, PBRC Chair Perla Ibarrientos, Deputy Consul General Maria Paz G. Cortes, Ms. Stephanie Balon and Ms. Christi Morales-Kumasawa from Kapwa Kultural Center and Café, Daly City Councilmember Juslyn Manalo, Ms. Polly Cortez, President of the Dr. Jose Rizal International Foundation, Vice Mayor Teresa Proano, Daly City Councilmember Rod Daus-Magbual, Mr. Riz Gache, Mr. Franco Finn, Cultural Officer Anne Estoya, Vice Consul Glaiza Quarteros,
and Daly City Planning Commissioner Ray Satorre
(San Francisco PCG photo)
Daly City, California – On 23 January 2026, the Philippine Consulate in San Francisco represented by Deputy Consul General and Acting Head of Post Maria Paz Cortes, Vice Consul Glaiza Quarteros, Cultural Officer Anne Estoya, and Protocol Officer Marc O’Bryan Asilom, met with Ms. Polly Cortez, President and co-founder of the Dr. Jose Rizal Legacy International Foundation, and other key stakeholders to conduct a site visit to the proposed location of Dr. Jose Rizal statue in the area adjacent to the Serramonte Library in Daly City.
On 10 November 2025, the Daly City Council officially adopted a resolution, co-sponsored by then Mayor of Daly City, Dr. Rod Daus-Magbual, and Councilmember Juslyn Manalo, designating the Serramonte Library Plaza as the site of the proposed six-foot bronze sculpture of Dr. Jose Rizal.
During the brief visit, Deputy Consul General Maria Paz Cortes expressed her deep appreciation to the Dr. Jose Rizal Legacy International Foundation and other key partners for spearheading the project, and reaffirmed the Consulate’s support for the initiative. Ms. Polly Cortez, President of the Foundation, shared that the Rizal monument project in Daly City marks the organization’s first undertaking in California. She likewise conveyed her appreciation to the stakeholders for their active involvement and continued support for the ongoing project.
Among those present at the site visit were Daly City Vice Mayor Teresa Proano, Councilmember Dr. Rod Daus-Magbual, Councilmember Juslyn Manalo, Daly City Planning Commissioner Ray Satorre, Daly City Library Director Chela Anderson, Pilipino Bayanihan Resource Center (PBRC) Chair Perla Ibarrientos, Architect Enrique Soliven Jr., Mr. Riz Gache, Ms. Christi Morales-Kumasawa, and Ms. Stephanie Balon from the Kapwa Kultural Center.
In December 2025, the kick-off ceremony and unveiling of the official rendering of the monument honoring Dr. Jose Rizal was held at the Consulate’s Sentro Rizal. The event coincided with the commemoration of the 129th Anniversary of Dr. Rizal’s martyrdom.
The Dr. Jose Rizal monument proposal is being led by the Dr. Jose Rizal Legacy International Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting cultural preservation, humanitarian initiatives, and advocacy for social justice through art and education. The Consulate remains committed to advancing cultural diplomacy, strengthening partnerships with local government and community organizations, and promoting initiatives that deepen historical awareness and national identity among Filipinos across its jurisdiction.END
Partners and stakeholders of the Dr. Jose Rizal monument project in Daly City convene outside the
Serramonte Library where the monument will be installed
(San Francisco PCG photo)