AMBASSADOR-DESIGATE CHAN-GONZAGA VISITS RIZAL BUST IN MONTREAL PARK; MEETS FILIPINO COMMUNITY

Embassy of the Philippines in Ottawa, Canada

Ambassador-Designate Chan-Gonzaga (in gray Barong) with the Regional Commander of the Order of the Knights of Rizal- Eastern Canada Region, Rey Balansi (right of the bust) and other KOR members (Photo courtesy of Embassy of the Philippines in Ottawa, Canada)

Montréal, Québec, 27 August 2025 – Philippine Ambassador-Designate to Canada Jose Victor V. Chan-Gonzaga visited the bust of Dr. José P. Rizal at Parc Mackenzie-King in Montréal on Saturday, 23 August 2025 to pay homage to the Philippines’ national hero. He was accompanied by Rey Balansi, Eastern Canada Regional Commander of the Order of the Knights of Rizal (KOR) and other KOR members.

The bust of Dr. Rizal, located in Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce where many Filipinos reside, was a gift of the Philippine government to the City of Montréal in 1999. The monument was presented to commemorate the centenary of the proclamation of Philippine independence.

The bronze bust, mounted on a granite pedestal, is one of 24 sculptures of Rizal cast by Filipino artist Abdulmari Jr. De Leon Imao. The inscriptions on its pedestal are written in French, English, and Filipino.

After the Rizal monument visit, the Ambassador-Designate also stopped by Plengke, a Filipino-owned grocery and dining space near the park, where he expressed his support for Filipino entrepreneurship in Montréal.  He also visited the Filipino Association of Montréal and Suburbs (FAMAS) Center, one of the oldest Filipino community organizations in Canada.

Ambassador-Designate Chan-Gonzaga (in gray barong) with owners of Plengke, Marina Isles (leftmost) and Lerrie Pitargue (second to the left) and staff of Plengke (Photo courtesy of Plengke; Embassy of the Philippines in Ottawa, Canada)

The visit underscored both the historical legacy of Dr. José Rizal and the vibrant presence of the Filipino community in Montréal.