The city of Carson, CA has declared December 30th a holiday for Jose Rizal, a revolutionary largely considered the greatest national hero in the Philippines, reports ABS CBN.
The population of Carson is 20 percent Filipino and it is the only city in the United States with its own permanent monument dedicated to Rizal.
Reaction from Filipinos was one of jubilation.
“I think it’s really nice having a Jose Rizal Remembrance Day especially since we don’t know about learn about him in school very much. It shows he was a very important person,” Virginia Velasquez said.
Carson officials hopes the annual Remembrance Day will encourage schools to teach about Rizal, but it is not actually a day off.
