NYC intersection co-named for national hero José Rizal

NEW YORK - An intersection in Woodside, Queens, New York has been named after Dr. José Rizal in recognition of his significant influence on the Filipino and Filipino American community in the area, where a large Filipino population resides.

Through the initiative of Steven Raga, the first Filipino American elected to the New York State Assembly, New York City Council Member Julie Won advanced the co-naming of Dr. José Rizal at the intersection of Woodside Avenue and 58th Street in Queens, the largest borough of New York City.

New York City Council Member Julie Won said the co-naming reflects both the growing Filipino presence in her district and Woodside’s identity as a community shaped by immigrants.

“It’s an honor to co-name an intersection in Woodside after Dr. José P. Rizal, the national hero for Filipinos in my district and beyond,” Won said. “This co-naming speaks to our ethos as a district of immigrants and honors the contributions and culture of our neighbors in the Filipino diaspora.”

Assemblymember Raga partnered with Won in advancing the co-naming, calling it a lasting tribute to Rizal’s ideals of justice, equality, and national identity.

The event was attended by Philippine Consul General Senen Mangalile, members of the Knights of Rizal, and local residents, who gathered to celebrate the recognition of a figure deeply revered across generations of Filipinos in the United States.

In May 1888, Rizal visited New York, where he stayed at the historic Fifth Avenue Hotel in Manhattan.

Woodside is also home to Little Manila, a vibrant Filipino enclave known for its Filipino restaurants, grocery stores, and community spaces.  — RF, GMA Integrated News