Rizal Day rites marking the 129th anniversary of Jose Rizal’s heroism and martyrdom will be led by President Marcos at the Rizal National Monument in Manila on Dec. 30, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) said on Tuesday, Dec. 23.

In a statement, the NHCP said the Chief Executive will be joined by NHCP Chair Regalado Trota Jose Jr., Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, and officials from national government agencies, local government units, uniformed services, civil society organizations, and the Diplomatic Corps.

The NHCP said the flag-raising and wreath-laying rites will be held at 7 a.m. at the Rizal National Monument, with simultaneous programs at the Rizal Shrine in Calamba City, Laguna; the Rizal Shrine in Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte; and at various Rizal monuments nationwide.

The commission said this year’s Rizal Day rites will be held under the theme “RIZAL: Sa Pagbangon ng mga Mamamayan, Aral at Diwa Mo ang Tunay na Gabay,” which it said recalls the enduring lessons from the life and works of one of our country’s national heroes as Filipinos confront contemporary challenges as a people and a nation.

“Martyred by the Spanish Colonial Government in 1896, Jose Rizal was a leading author, thinker, and intellectual leader whose works and advocacies helped shape the identity of the Filipino nation during the rapidly changing times of the late 19th century,” the NHCP said.

“As an intellectual, his work with fellow propagandists blazed the trail for reform and eventual calls for independence for the Philippines,” it added.

The commission said that during his stay in Europe and other parts of the world, Rizal authored works that criticized corruption and injustice under Spanish rule and sought to assert the equality of Filipinos in the community of nations.

“Labelled as a subversive for his thought-provoking literature, he would serve several years in exile in Zamboanga del Norte,” the NHCP said.

It added that following the outbreak of the 1896 Philippine Revolution, Rizal was arrested by the colonial government and accused of being among the leaders of the uprising.

“He was executed by firing squad on 30 December 1896 in Bagumbayan,” the NHCP said, noting that the site has since been renamed in his honor.

The NHCP said Rizal’s death anniversary has been commemorated since 1898, when President Emilio Aguinaldo declared Dec. 30 a National Day of Mourning, a tradition that continues today with national flags flown at half-staff every Rizal Day.