Lorenzana, Moreno lead Rizal Day rites at Luneta

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno led the ceremony commemorating the 124th death anniversary of Filipino hero Jose Rizal at the Luneta Park on Wednesday.

According to Bam Alegre's report on Unang Balita, the event included a wreath-laying ceremony and prayer over the monument of Rizal, who was executed on the site in 1896.

TINGNAN: Sitwasyon sa Rizal Park sa Maynila para sa paggunita ng ika-124 na taong anibersaryo ng kabayanihan ni Dr. Jose Rizal. @dzbb pic.twitter.com/15qM2fUn14

— Isa Avendaño-Umali (@Isa_Umali) December 29, 2020

Earlier at 5 a.m., Rizal supporters tracked his last footsteps at Fort Santiago.

Simultaneous events were also being conducted in other Rizal museums in Calamba, Laguna; Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte; and Fort Santiago, Intramuros in Manila.

Rizal Day 2020 is celebrated with the theme “Jose Rizal: Inspirasyon sa Pagbangon at Paghilom ng Bayan”.

The Department of National Defense said Rizal’s spirit is reflecting on the lives of frontliners who are considered as modern-day heroes amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The National Historical Commission of the Philippines is set to conduct a series of online activities in commemoration of Rizal Day.

Webinars will also be conducted at 2 p.m. that include cultural tribute to Rizal. A reading of Rizal’s famous poem Mi Ultimo Adiós will be held on Jose Rizal Dapitan’s Facebook page at 8 a.m. —Joviland Rita/KBK, GMA News