BSP to produce Rizal's 150th Anniversary medal

During the centennial celebration of Rizal's day, the Central Bank of the Philippines minted in limited quantities 50 centavo and 1-piso coins showing two angles of Rizal's bust. The coins were produced in the United States and were made of .900 fine silver.

The mintage of both coins were just limited to just 100, 000 pieces each, and were assigned as KM 192 and 193 in the Coin Catalog.

Descendants of Dr. Jose Rizal are working with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to produce a commemorative medal in time for the national hero's 150th birth anniversary this June.

Ramoncita Reyes, great granddaughter of Saturnina Rizal, the hero's eldest sister, said the family decided to participate in the national celebration by creating a gold-plated medal.

“This commemorative medal will be produced for a limited number but it won’t be used for commercial transactions,” said Reyes.

The coin-like medal features Rizal's image on the front while the back carries his signature and “Adios, Patria Adorada”, taken from “Mi Ultimo Adios” (My Last Farewell) written before he was executed in 1896.

The reverse side also depicts sunrise, marking the time of Rizal's execution in Bagumbayan (now Luneta Park).

“'Adios, Patria Adorada' for us, relatives, does not only mean goodbye to the country. It also means he is hoping that the country would move on be well,” said Reyes.

She added the BSP is yet to announce how many Rizal commemorative medals it will produce distribute and at what price will these be sold.

Reyes, who belongs to the fourth-generation of Rizals, said she did not personally feel any extra pressure to do well in school.

“I believe every student is expected to do good in school by their parents. In our case, it's not just because we are descendants of the national hero,” she said.

Reyes, meanwhile, lamented the country's current condition. “It’s been 150 years (since he was born), but where are we now? It hasn’t changed much since he left.”

She is hoping, though, that the youth will still carry on the national hero's ideals.

“He (Rizal) would always want to mentor the youth. I hope the young generation would become more aware of his ideals just like those in foreign countries who believe in him.”

Posted in: bangko sentral ng pilipinas,central bank of the philippines