The News UpFront: (TOP STORY) as of Saturday, September 25, 2010 

W hile 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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IN CALIFORNIA, JOSE RIZAL IS A MARKET SENTRY

Toronto Police Unveil 'Quilt of Tiles' with Image of Hero's Monument

By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ

T ORONTO - 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: &feature=channel href="/&feature=channel">&feature=channel).

P hilippine 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".

"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.

According to Cruz, PIDC president Minda Neri said "she‘s delighted in the knowledge that the various activities of PIDC enjoys strong support and patronage from the different segments in the community. This inspires the members and officers to work even harder to meet and deliver the expectations of the community and its charitable beneficiaries." # # #

For other stories and photos, 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/ .